DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list (a) the number of council housing stock option appraisals signed off by the Government to date and (b) the number of these which have involved (i) retention of the stock, (ii) transfer of the stock to a registered social landlord, (iii) delegation to an arm's length management organisation and (iv) mixed solutions, (c) the number of local authorities that have submitted an options appraisal which has not yet been signed off and (d) the number of authorities that have not yet submitted an appraisal to be signed off in (A) London and (B) England.

Keith Hill: Local authorities were only required to have signed off option appraisals from April 2003. Prior to that date 157 local authorities had already opted for transfer or Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) of which 11 are in London.
	The table as follows shows the position regarding the sign-off requirement as of 9 June 2004, as reported by Government Offices for the Regions
	
		
			  England (including London) London 
		
		
			 (a) Total number. of OAs signed off 27 2 
			 (b)(i) Number of these that have involved retention 13 Nil 
			 (b)(ii) Number of these that have involved transfer 13 Nil 
			 (b)(iii) Number of these that have involved ALMO 10 2 
			 (b)(iv) Number of these that have involved mixed solutions 2 Nil 
			 (c) Number of LAs that have submitted an options appraisal without sign off as of 9 June 04 6 1 
			 (d) Number of LAs that have not yet submitted an options appraisal as of 9 June 2004 164 19

Coverage Care

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answers of 15 March 2004, Official Report, columns 59–60W and 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1227W, on Coverage Care (Gloucestershire Ltd.), what estimate he has made of the maximum contingent liability to be borne by (a) council tax payers in Gloucestershire and (b) the general tax payer; if he will list the information which the county council has resolved should remain confidential; under what circumstances a specific consent would need to be sought by the county council; and what discussions he has held on the county council's invocation of confidentiality provisions in local government legislation in relation to this matter.

Yvette Cooper: The bulk of Government support is paid as block grant, so local authorities have considerable freedom to determine their spending priorities and decide how to apportion their revenue budget between services. The provision of local authority services is for individual authorities, bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities. The Government does not have a power to intervene in local authorities' day to day decisions.
	It is for local authorities to determine the level of council tax. Local authorities should be consulting their local tax payers on issues about levels of council tax and what the money is spent on.
	Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 describes the types of "exempt information" which a local authority can decide to keep confidential. Gloucestershire county council has resolved to keep confidential the types of information specified in paragraphs 5, 7 and 9. These paragraphs cover information relating to financial assistance provided by the authority, the financial or business affairs of other parties and terms proposed in the course of commercial contract negotiations. No discussions have been held between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the county council about the council's use of confidentiality provisions in local government legislation. The circumstances under which a specific consent would need to be sought by the county council are set out in sections 24 and 25 of the Local Government Act 1988.

Economic Regeneration Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what financial support was given by his Department to each of the areas designated as a priority area for economic regeneration as defined by Regional Planning Guidance 9 in 2003–04.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister funds a large number of programmes either through its agencies, such as English Partnerships, or directly. In 2003–4 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's direct initiatives which assisted economic regeneration in the South-East included the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, Wardens Schemes, Neighbourhood Management Pilots, New Deal for Communities, the Community Empowerment Fund, Community Chest, Community Learning Chest, Single Regeneration Budget and European Structural Fund Objective Two. The information on how much was given in 2003–4 in each of the priority areas for economic regeneration is not held centrally, and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Fire Service (Recruitment)

John Randall: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many recruits there were to each fire authority in England and Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) gender and (b) ethnicity.

Nick Raynsford: Information in the form requested is not readily available for the years 1999–2001. Information on the number of successful applicants for each fire authority in England and Wales from 1999 to 2001 by gender and ethnicity is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of successful applicants for each authority in England and Wales in each of the last two years by (a) gender and (b) ethnicity is available in the Library of the House.

Housing Stock Transfer

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what receipts there were from stock transfer of council housing, broken down by local authority and giving the number of homes involved, the unit transfer price, and the total capacity receipt in each case, in each year since 1997.

Keith Hill: To reflect the intended continued use of the properties for social housing and the need for capital investment, the price paid to each local authority per council dwelling and reflected in the following table, accords with a Tenanted Market Value (TMV) rather than an open market value. Where there is a negative value a grant equal to this amount was paid by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as part of the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund (ERCF) programme. The table shows the receipts from stock transfer, broken down by local authority, showing the number of dwellings, price per dwelling and the gross transfer price in each year since 1997.
	
		
			 Local authority Date of transfer Number of dwellings Price per dwelling (£) Gross transfer price (£ million) ERCF grant paid for negative valuation X 
		
		
			 Cotswold DC 28 February 1997 4,282 12,818 53.45 — 
			 South Staffs C 7 March 1997 5,273 7,998 42.67 — 
			 Lichfield DC 19 March 1997 4,921 8,416 40.88 — 
			 South Oxfordshire DC 7 July 1997 5,018 13,618 68.33 — 
			 Eden C 22 September 1997 1,510 11,253 16.99 — 
			 LB Lambeth * Moorlands 5 January 1998 515 -24,660 -12.80 X 
			 LB Bexley 9 February 1998 4,118 11,996 49.40 — 
			 LB Bexley 9 February 1998 4,097 8,540 34.99 — 
			 Congleton BC 2 March 1998 4,061 7,939 32.24 — 
			 Oldham BC* Limehurst 9 March 1998 642 -8,941 -5.74 X 
			 Liverpool CC * Windermere 19 March 1998 493 -13,164 -6.49 X 
			 LB Merton* Pollards Hill 23 March 1998 1,018 -13,635 -13.88 X 
			 LB Tower Hamlets* Poplar 1 23 March 1998 1,852 -19,006 -35.20 X 
			 Kerrier DC 23 March 1998 3,732 8,579 32.02 — 
			 LB Hackney * Kingsmead 30 March 1998 951 -11,199 -10.65 X 
			 LB Brent * Fortunegate/Church End 30 March 1998 1,481 -16,874 -25.00 X 
			 Basildon DC* Vange 30 March 1998 708 -9,562 -6.77 X 
			 West Somerset DC 30 March 1998 1,869 13,750 25.70 — 
			 Stoke-on-Trent CC * Bentilee 31 March 1998 917 -11,221 -10.29 X 
			 Tewkesbury BC 27 April 1998 3,066 7,985 24.48 — 
			 Rother DC 1 May 1998 3,058 10,072 30.80 — 
			 LB Lambeth * Lansdowne Green 20 July 1998 681 -12,555 -8.54 X 
			 LB Tower Hamlets* Poplar II 7 December 1998 2,431 -7,805 -18.97 X 
			 Wirral* Leasowe 25 January 1999 1,082 -4,799 -5.19 X 
			 Tameside * West Ashton 1 February 1999 901 -10,655 -9.57 X 
			 West Devon BC 22 February 1999 1,446 9,200 13.52 — 
			 South Somerset DC 1 March 1999 8,883 7,795 69.25 — 
			 East Lindsey DC 1 March 1999 5,102 8,820 45.00 — 
			 Liverpool CC * Pinehurst 5 March 1999 646 -9,505 -6.14 X 
			 Manchester CC Darnhill 8 March 1999 1,030 82 0.85 — 
			 LB Hackney * Morningside 15 March 1999 1,084 -9,339 -10.12 X 
			 South Hams District Council 22 March 1999 3,096 13,243 41.00 — 
			 LB Hammersmith and Fulham * Old Oak 17 March 1999 668 -14,027 -9.37 X 
			 LB Hackney * Upper Clapton 22 March 1999 1,000 -19,975 -19.98 X 
			 Telford and Wrekin C 25 March 1999 13,081 9 113.37 — 
			 LB Enfield 29 March 1999 1,194 n/a 0.00 — 
			 Worthing BC 29 March 1999 2,525 14,095 35.59 — 
			 Bath and North East Somerset C 29 March 1999 9,887 8,040 79.49 — 
			 Manchester CC* East Wythenshawe 29 March 1999 6,667 -3,165 -20.81 X 
			 LB Greenwich * Charlton Triangle 29 March 1999 1,280 -14,077 -18.02 X 
			 LB Hackney * Haggerston 29 March 1999 661 -20,030 -13.24 X 
			 Allerdale BC 31 March 1999 3,704 8,261 30.60 — 
			 Allerdale BC * Salterbeck 31 March 1999 727 -5,451 -3.96 X 
			 Preston BC * Avenham 14 June 1999 1,121 -8,576 -9.61 X 
			 LB Lambeth* Central Stockwell 5 July 1999 2,358 -6,667 -17.53 X 
			 Birmingham CC* Central Areas 21 June 1999 2,813 -17,401 -50.55 X 
			 LB Islington* Barnsbury 26 September 1999 647 -6,646 -4.29 X 
			 LB Islington* Ten Estates 26 September 1999 739 -24,898 -18.41 X 
			 Liverpool CC* Speke Garston 4 October 1999 4,382 -9,990 -43.78 X 
			 West Lindsey DC 18 October 1999 3,929 7,814 30.70 — 
			 LB Lambeth* St. Martins 25 October 1999 1,033 -6,805 -7.03 X 
			 Boston BC 29 November 1999 4,871 8,907 43.40 — 
			 Tynedale DC 20 December 1999 3,564 9,5 33.86 — 
			 Newcastle under Lyme BC 31 January 2000 9,887 5,462 54.00 — 
			 Restormel BC 7 February 2000 3,577 7,018 25.11 — 
			 Manchester CC (Colshaw Farm) 14 February 2000 600 1,500 0.90 — 
			 North Devon DC 21 February 2000 3,293 13,438 44.25 — 
			 LB Hackney* Stamford Hill 6 March 2000 1,095 -12,082 -13.23 X 
			 LB Hackney* Pembury Estate 6 March 2000 1,241 -12,379 -15.35 X 
			 Burnley BC 8 March 2000 5,330 4,205 22.41 — 
			 Manchester CC Sale Estate 20 March 2000 1,655 1,419 2.35 — 
			 Weymouth and Portland C 20 March 2000 3,105 9,983 30.99 — 
			 Huntingdon DC 20 March 2000 6,650 9,534 63.40 — 
			 Elmbridge BC 27 March 2000 4,894 11,626 56.90 — 
			 Test Valley BC 27 March 2000 5,495 14,559 79.99 — 
			 Wyre Forest DC 27 March 2000 6,056 6,762 40.95 — 
			 Manchester CC Whitefield Estate 27 March 2000 1,033 1,942 1.97 — 
			 LB Tower Hamlets* THCH 27 March 2000 1,551 -13,718 -21.43 X 
			 Tameside 27 March 2000 8,532 6,489 127.50 — 
			 MBC (1)— 7,934 7,057  — 
			 LB Richmond 17 July 2000 7,139 8,335 59.50 — 
			 Coventry CC 22 September 2000 20,125 2,460 49.50 — 
			 Fylde BC 2 October 2000 1,905 6,300 12.00 — 
			 Chester CC 27 November 2000 7,096 6,341 45.00 — 
			 Horsham DC 11 December 2000 4,650 14,462 67.25 — 
			 LB Tower Hamlets* Poplar 1 12 February 2001 1,859 -1,894 -35.22 X 
			 East Northamptonshire DC 19 February 2001 3,495 6,150 21.49 — 
			 Torbay BC 19 February 2001 2,947 6,480 19.10 — 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands DC 23 February 2001 3,132 6,290 19.67 — 
			 Calderdale MBC 6 March 2001 12,759 2,825 36.00 — 
			 Chichester DC 13 March 2001 5,321 14,752 78.50 — 
			 Mendip DC 19 March 2001 4,326 8,091 35.00 — 
			 West Wiltshire DC 26 March 2001 3,284 6,423 21.00 — 
			 West Oxfordshire DC 26 March 2001 3,643 13,972 50.90 — 
			 East Staffordshire BC 26 March 2001 5,637 3,643 24.50 — 
			 Manchester CC Handforth Estate 26 March 2001 659 535 0.37 — 
			 Sunderland CC 26 March 2001 36,356 6,045 219.80 — 
			 Blackburn with Darwen BC 28 March 2001 9,886 4,195 35.40 — 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham BC 1 October 2001 5,500 11,527 63.40 — 
			 Mid-Bedfordshire DC 5 November 2001 3,084 10,159 31.33 — 
			 Derbyshire Dales 4 March 2002 3,287 7,616 24.80 — 
			 Chelmsford BC 11 March 2002 6,902 11,530 79.60 — 
			 East Hertfordshire 18 March 2002 2,687 11,937 32.10 — 
			 East Hertfordshire (1)— 3,237 13,725 44.40 — 
			 Erewash BC 25 March 2002 5,847 6,460 38.10 — 
			 Reigate and Banstead BC 25 March 2002 4,846 13,212 64.00 — 
			 St. Edmundsbury 24 June 2002 5,947 7,489 45.10 — 
			 Vale Royal BC 1 July 2002 6,813 7,462 51.07 — 
			 St. Helens MBC 1 July 2002 14,632 1,974 28.90 — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland BC 15 July 2002 11,625 5,180 60.20 — 
			 Knowsley MBC 15 July 2002 17,090 1,794 30.66 — 
			 LB Waltham Forest 30 September 2002 2,242 832 1.87 — 
			 LB Hackney cc sheltered stock 14 October 2002 954 0 0.00 — 
			 LB Harrow 14 October 2002 518 0 0.00 — 
			 Manchester cc Langley Estate 18 November 2002 3,360 0 0.00 — 
			 County of Herefordshire C 25 November 2002 5,696 6,945 39.56 — 
			 Carlisle CC 9 December 2002 7,198 1,803 12.98 — 
			 Rushcliffe BC 20 January 2003 3,445 12,934 44.56 — 
			 Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (south) 23 January 2003 2,833 1,800 5.10 — 
			 Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (central) 30 January 2003 3,702 0 0.00 — 
			 City of Bradford 24 February 2003 24,764 2,831 70.10 — 
			 Amber Valley BC 24 February 2003 5,632 5,077 28.57 — 
			 Crewe and Nantwich BC 10 March 2003 5,515 6,181 34.10 — 
			 Liverpool CC Eastern fringe north 10 March 2003 6,183 0 0.00 — 
			 Oldham MBC Limeside (Hollins/The Avenues) 17 March 2003 634 0 0.00 — 
			 Walsall MBC (majority of stock) 27 March 2003 22,971 1,026 24.00 — 
			 Walsall MBC (tenant managed stock) 27 March 2003 1,828 0 0.00 — 
			 Craven DC 31 March 2003 1,541 5,201 17.60 — 
			 Forest of Dean DC 31 March 2003 3,577 6,849 24.50 — 
			 North Hertfordshire DC 31 March 2003 8,570 3,128 27.00 — 
			 Manchester CC (East Manchester) 8 September 2003 2,823 0 0.00 — 
			 Scarborough BC 15 December 2003 4,632 5,232 24.25 — 
			 Maidstone BC 2 February 2004 6,810 5,685 35.82 — 
			 Teignbridge 4 February 2004 3,647 3,651 12.90 — 
			 Oldham MBC Fitton Hill 15 March 2004 1,285 0 0.00 — 
			 Cherwell 29 March 2004 3,656 7,397 42.85 — 
			 Bromsgrove 29 March 2004 3,096 5,218 16.50 — 
			 Hartlepool 29 March 2004 7,509 427 3.20 — 
			 Liverpool (Kensington) 29 March 2004 289 0 0.00 — 
			 Worcester 31 March 2004 4,714 1,128 5.31 — 
			 South Norfolk 17 May 2004 4,214 7,499 31.60 — 
			 Copeland BC 7 June 2004 3,787 317 1.20 — 
		
	
	(1) Two transfers to separate RSLs.

Lone Parents (Accommodation)

David Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many lone parents aged 16 and 17 years are resident in local authority accommodation with (a) on-site support, (b) floating support and (c) no specialist support.

Keith Hill: Information obtained from the 2002–03 Housing Investment Programme (HIP) statistical returns shows that on 1 April 2003 the following number of lone teenage parents under 18 were occupying local authority non self-contained accommodation: 201 in accommodation with on site support; 393 in accommodation with floating support. There were 2,869 lone teenage parents in supported accommodation provided by a housing association. The HIP returns for 2002–03 show that 1,242 lettings were made to lone teenage parents under the age of 18 in unsupported accommodation.

Ordnance Survey

Boris Johnson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will examine whether there is a conflict of interest in the Government's adviser on geographic information being Chief Executive of the Ordnance Survey.

Yvette Cooper: Ordnance Survey is a Government Department. As the National Mapping Agency it has an aim, agreed with Government, to satisfy the national interest and customer need for accurate and readily available geospatial data and maps of the whole of Great Britain in the most effective and efficient way.
	It is entirely appropriate that the Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey should be adviser to Government on matters of geographic information.
	Proposals for a wider advisory panel as recommended by the Select Committee are currently under consideration.

Parliamentary Questions

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 28 April, Official Report, column 1141W, on the Advisory Group on Home Buying, how much the minimal cost was which he refers to for financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

Keith Hill: Meetings of the Home Buying and Selling Advisory Group are hosted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister which take place in one of our buildings and the costs fall within our general administration and staff budget. The Group met once in each of the years 2002–03 and 2003–04. We estimate that the staff costs were approximately £1,000 per meeting. The catering costs were £41.40 per meeting.
	Following a reorganisation of the structure for stakeholder involvement in the home buying and selling reform programme, the Advisory Group has now been replaced by two new groups: the Home Buying and Selling Forum which represents all stakeholder interests and; and the Central Stakeholder Group which comprises representatives of the main industry and consumer groups most affected by the reform proposals.

Planning Decisions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of planning decisions were delayed by more than eight weeks in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

Keith Hill: For district planning authorities in England, the average percentages of planning decisions determined outside of eight weeks from the date of receipt of application in 2001, 2002 and 2003 were:
	2001: 36 per cent.
	2002: 34 per cent.
	2003: 29 per cent.

Telecommunications Masts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons the recommendations of the Stewart Report on the Precautionary Approach on the placement of masts near schools have not been carried forward, with particular reference to recommendation 1.42; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Government gave careful consideration to recommendation 1.42 on the beam of greatest intensity. We have sought to address the concerns that the Stewart Group identified in the following ways.
	Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 on Telecommunications recognises that when operators are siting mobile phone base stations schools must be given special consideration. It makes clear that, where it is proposed to install, alter or replace a mobile base station near a school or college, operators should discuss the proposed development with the relevant body of the school or college concerned before submitting an application for planning permission or prior approval to the local authority.
	Department for Education and Skills has issued advice to local education authorities and schools about base stations in and around school premises and the use of mobile phones by children. Where parents and/or schools wish to know whether the beam of intensity falls on school grounds or buildings, the school should contact the base station's operator. The operators have agreed to provide schools with information on the level of intensity of radio frequency radiation. If there is major concern from the school or parents, they could ask the network operator to adjust the antenna.
	Another recommendation (1.41) of the Stewart Report was the auditing of emissions from base stations particularly near schools and other sensitive sites. In an ongoing audit, OFCOM (formerly the Radiocommunications Agency) has measured exposures around nearly 300 base stations to date (www.ofcom.org.uk). In all cases exposures have been below, and mostly thousands of times below, the guidelines.

TREASURY

Overseas Aid

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the comprehensive spending review with regard to a timetable to reach the 0.7 per cent. of gross national income target for development aid by 2008.

John Healey: We remain committed to reaching the 0.7 per cent. target as demonstrated by our record on aid spending since 1997. This includes the largest ever increase of UK development assistance to nearly £5 billion by 2005–06.
	We will announce in the 2004 Spending Review what we will do up to 2007–08, but at this stage I cannot pre-empt the final announcement.

Overseas Aid

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the comprehensive spending review with regard to the timetable to reach the overseas development assistance target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national income by 2008.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill, (Ann McKenchin) earlier today.

International Finance Facility

Russell Brown: To ask the Chancellor of Exchequer, what progress has been made on the international finance facility.

John Healey: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Bristol West, (Valerie Davey) earlier today.

Poor Countries (Debt Relief)

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in persuading the G8 to support his plans for further debt relief for the poorest countries.

John Healey: Further cancellation of debt for the world's poorest countries was an important item of discussion at the recent G8 Summit in Sea Island.
	The UK pressed for, and secured, G8 support for the extension of the HIPC initiative by another two years, potentially allowing another 10 countries to benefit from debt relief in excess of $30 billion.
	Finance Ministers will report back by the end of the year on progress, and on further measures to ensure that the poorest countries have a sustainable exit from debt.

Consumer Price Index

Eric Forth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of the consumer price index.

Ruth Kelly: Thanks to the macro-economic reforms this Government put in place upon coming to power, the UK economy is enjoying the longest period of sustained low inflation for 49 years.
	CPI inflation stood at 1.5 per cent. in May. The 2004 Budget forecast is for it to rise back to its symmetrical 2 per cent. target by the second half of next year.

Efficiency Review

Quentin Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the efficiency review being conducted by Sir Peter Gershon.

Paul Boateng: Treasury Ministers meet their Ministry of Defence counterparts frequently to discuss a range of issues, including the Efficiency Review. The Ministry of Defence is working closely with Sir Peter Gershon and his team to maximise the benefits of the efficiency review for front-line services.

House Prices

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to moderate the rise in house prices.

Ruth Kelly: In Budget 2003, the Chancellor noted that a reduction in housing market volatility would enhance macro-economic stability. He asked Kate Barker to review housing supply in the UK, and David Miles to review the UK mortgage market.
	At the time of Budget 2004, both reviews presented their final reports. The Government have welcomed their analysis and recommendations for action.
	As recommended in the Barker Review, the Government are implementing a programme of change to the planning system and to the delivery of development, consulting with stakeholders as necessary.
	The Government endorses David Miles' conclusion that urgent reform is desirable to make the UK mortgage market work better for consumers in a number of areas. The FSA has in train reforms in the mortgage market, which will move to statutory regulation on 31 October. The Chancellor has asked the FSA to consider and report on the further reforms proposed by David Miles.

Fuel Efficiency (Vehicles)

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to use the tax system to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles.

John Healey: The Chancellor considers all relevant environmental, economic and social factors in deciding taxation policy. He will announce any changes to taxation policy in the context of his Budget statement.
	The Government already has a good record in using taxation to improve fuel efficiency through, for example, duty differentials in favour of cleaner fuels and graduated vehicle excise duty and the reform of company car taxation which provide incentives for more fuel efficient cars.

Development Aid

Meg Munn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his plans to set a timetable to reach the 0.7 per cent. of gross national income target for overseas aid by 2008.

John Healey: I refer to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Ann McKechin) earlier today.

Better Regulation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 27 May 2004, Official Report, column 1727W, on Regulation, 
	(1)  what assessment he made of the recommendation of the Mandelkern Group on Better Regulation Final Report of 13 November 2001 that simplification does not mean deregulation; and what his assessment is of the adoption of this recommendation in the Better Regulation Action Plan published by the European Commission in June 2002;
	(2)  which section of the European Commission's Better Regulation Action Plan provides for the removal of existing legislation which is in force; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government is working with its partners, through the joint initiative on regulatory reform, to ensure that the framework of existing European law is subject to thorough review.
	In doing this it is building on the Commission's Better Regulation Action Plan, which was developed in response to the Mandelkern Report as well as the Commission's White Paper on European Governance, and other submissions.
	The simplification workstream of this Action Plan covers a broad range of tools. Its aim is to reduce the costs of regulation while preserving overall policy objectives. This can include removal or revision of existing legislation. The Commission's progress report stated that simplification includes "efforts to simplify the substance of a policy . . . in such cases it may be necessary to adapt or to entirely rethink the legislative approach," 1
	1 COM (2003) 623 final: First Report on the Implementation of the Framework Action Plan Updating and Simplifying the Community Acquis, p8

Burmese Imports

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of imports of (a) marine products, (b) shrimp and prawns and (c) timber from Burma has been in the past five financial years; and which companies import each type of product.

John Healey: I refer my hon. friend to the answer I gave her on 5 March 2003, Official Report, column 1104W. The value of imports requested is shown in the table as follows.
	
		£ million
		
			 Goods Financial year Value 
		
		
			 Marine products 1999–2000 1.787 
			 (exc shrimps and prawns)(2) 2000–01 3.362 
			  2001–02 4.359 
			  2002–03 4.082 
			  2003–04 3.372 
			
			 Shrimps and prawns(3) 1999–2000 2.433 
			  2000–2001 3.324 
			  2001–2002 3.462 
			  2002–2003 4.025 
			  2003–2004 1.547 
			
			 Timber(4) 1999–2000 2.022 
			  2000–2001 3.434 
			  2001–2002 3.624 
			  2002–2003 1.637 
			  2003–2004 1.541 
		
	
	(2) Live fish; fish and fish fillets, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates fresh, chilled, frozen, smoked, dried, salted or in brine; fish products not fit for human consumption
	(3) Fresh, chilled, frozen, boiled, salted, dried or in brine.
	(4) Rough, worked, planed, moulded etc, including plywood, fibreboard etc, but excluding made up artless of wood
	Source:
	Overseas Trade Statistics, HMCE

Burmese Imports

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value of imports from Burma was in 2003, broken down by import.

John Healey: The total value of imports from Burma in 2003, broken down by commodity is published in the Overseas Trade Statistics and is available on Customs' website www.uktradeinfo.com). It is shown in the table as follows:
	
		Imports from Burma to the United Kingdom: General Trade: 2003
		
			  Value (£) 
		
		
			 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories 51,313,636 
			 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic invertebrates and preparations thereof 5,881,650 
			 Power generating machinery and equipment 1,153,475 
			 Furniture and parts thereof, bedding, mattresses etc. 1,055,213 
			 Cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture) 998,606 
			 Cork and wood 968,649 
			 Vegetables and fruit 439,924 
			 Parcel post 195,853 
			 Miscellaneous manufactured articles not elsewhere specified 109,966 
			 Textile yarn, fabrics, made up articles etc. 78,304 
			 Footwear 13,983 
			 Non-metallic mineral manufactures not elsewhere specified 13,621 
			 General industrial machinery and equipment and machine parts not elsewhere specified 7,806 
			 Other transport equipment 7,088 
			 Manufactures of metal not elsewhere specified 5,793 
			 Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof 4,227 
			 Tobacco and tobacco manufactures 1,482 
			 Machinery specialized for particular industries 704 
			 Elsewhere specified 625 
			 Total 62,250,605 
		
	
	Source:
	Overseas Trade Statistics, HMCE

Compensation Payments

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many compensation payments were made to members of the public by his Department and its agencies in each year since 1997–98, broken down by the (a) amount paid and (b) reason for payment.

Ruth Kelly: Compensation payments made to members of the public by the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments and agencies are made in a wide variety of circumstances, including:
	costs following Tribunal/Court rulings and those arising from Adjudicator and Ombudsman reviews;
	property damage;
	compensation paid by HM Customs and Excise, VAT, tax regimes;
	compensation paid to meet out of pocket expenses, inconvenience or hardship caused by officials failure or delay.
	Losses and special payments are required to be published in Departmental Annual Accounts in accordance with the Resource Accounting Manual.

Developing Countries (Poverty)

Betty Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on UK investment in tackling poverty in developing countries.

Ruth Kelly: UK investment in tackling poverty has doubled in real terms since 1997 and will rise to nearly £5 billion by 2005–06—the highest ever level of UK development aid.
	By 2005–06, 90 per cent. of the aid budget will be spent in the world's poorest countries, including a record £1 billion bilateral aid programme in Africa. We are also working closely with developing countries to ensure that aid is spent effectively and reaches those in greatest need.
	As I announced in the Budget, we will not cut aid in the new spending round, but will continue to increase the resources that we give to the developing world.

Employment

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of (a) men, (b) women and (c) men and women in total of working age were in employment in each quarter since 1984.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 17 June 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment. (177958)
	The attached table gives the available rates of working age employment by gender for 3 month periods since 1984. These estimates, from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), have been seasonally adjusted. Estimates are only available for a single 3 month period of the years 1984 to 1991 inclusive.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Working age employment rates1,2 by sex—1984 to 2004, for three month periods as shown
		
			 United Kingdom  Per cent. 
			 Three month period (ending in month shown) All people of working age Males aged 16–64 Females aged 16–59 
		
		
			 1984—May 68.8 77.9 58.7 
			 1986—May 69.6 78.3 60.1 
			 1986—May 69.7 77.8 60.9 
			 1987—May 70.4 78.1 62.1 
			 1968—May 72.7 80.5 64.2 
			 1989—May 74.5 82.2 66.1 
			 1990—May 74.9 82.4 66.8 
			 1991—May 73.2 799 66.0 
			 1992
			 May 71.2 76.5 65.4 
			 August 70.8 76.2 65.1 
			 November 70.6 75.6 65.2 
			 1993
			 February 70.3 75.2 65.0 
			 May 70.3 75.0 65.2 
			 August 70.3 75.1 65.1 
			 November 70.4 75.2 65.1 
			 1994
			 February 70.4 75.4 65.1 
			 May 70.7 75.6 65.4 
			 August 70.8 75.8 65.6 
			 November 71.0 76.1 65.5 
			 1995
			 February 71.0 76.1 65.6 
			 May 71.2 76.4 65.8 
			 August 71.5 76.5 66.1 
			 November 71.6 76.5 66.3 
			 1996
			 February 71.8 76.6 66.7 
			 May 71.8 76.6 66.7 
			 August 71.9 76.8 66.7 
			 November 72.2 77.1 67.0 
			 1997
			 February 72.5 77.5 67.2 
			 May 72.7 77.7 67.4 
			 August 72.8 77.9 67.4 
			 November 73.1 78.2 67.6 
			 1998
			 February 73.2 78.5 67.6 
			 May 73.3 78.4 67.9 
			 August 73.6 78.7 68.2 
			 November 73.7 78.7 68.5 
			 1999
			 February 73.9 78.8 687 
			 May 73.8 78.7 68.6 
			 August 74.0 79.0 688 
			 November 74.2 79.1 68.9 
			 2000
			 February 74,2 791 69.0 
			 May 74.4 79.4 69.1 
			 August 74.7 79.4 69.6 
			 November 74.4 79.2 69.2 
			 2001
			 February 74.6 79.5 69.5 
			 May 74.6 79.5 69.4 
			 August 74.5 79.3 69.3 
			 November 74.5 792 69.4 
			 2002
			 February 74.4 79.1 69.4 
			 May 74.4 79.0 696 
			 August 74.5 79.0 69.7 
			 November 74.6 79.3 697 
			 2003
			 February 74.6 79.2 69.7 
			 May 74.7 79.3 69.7 
			 August 74.6 79.3 69.5 
			 November 74.6 79.1 69.7 
			 2004
			 February 74.9 79.5 70.1 
		
	
	(5) Working age people in employment as a percentage of the working age population in the relevant gender group.
	(6) Seasonally adjusted
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Equitable Life

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about Equitable Life.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) earlier today in the House.

EU Unemployment Rates

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest Eurostat figures for state unemployment rates among young people in each EU country are.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 17 June 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment amongst young people in the UK and other EU countries. (177970)
	The table overleaf gives the latest Eurostat figures for seasonally adjusted unemployment rates amongst young people, defined as 16–24 year olds for the UK and 15–24 year olds for other countries. UK data are taken from the latest UK Labour Force Survey results published in May 2004. Data for other countries are taken from Eurostat's Unemployment Press Release published on 2 June 2004. In some cases, these figures may appear more up-to-date than the UK figure; however, as the table illustrates, these more recent figures are often based on modelled extrapolation of the data from the most recent Labour Force Surveys in each country, rather than on direst survey measurement.
	
		Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted) for young people in the UK and other EU countries(7)
		
			 Country Latest Labour Force Survey reference period supplied to Eurostat—period ending Reference period for extrapolated Eurostat estimates Unemployment rate (Percentage) 
		
		
			 Austria June 2003 April 2004 7.3 
			 Belgium December 2003 April 2004 22.0 
			 Cyprus June 2003 April 2004 9.6 
			 Czech Republic December 2003 April 2004 20.0 
			 Denmark December 2003 March 2004 10.5 
			 Estonia December 2003 April 2004 20.3 
			 Finland December 2003 April 2004 20.6 
			 France December 2003 April 2004 20.7 
			 Germany June 2003 April 2004 11.1 
			 Greece December 2003 December 2003 27.1 
			 Hungary December 2003 April 2004 12.8 
			 Ireland December 2003 April 2004 8.1 
			 Italy December 2003 January 2004 27.1 
			 Spain December 2003 April 2004 22.5 
			 Latvia December 2003 April 2004 17.3 
			 Lithuania December 2003 April 2004 23.8 
			 Luxembourg March 2003 April 2004 12.1 
			 Malta December 2003 April 2004 21.2 
			 Netherlands December 2003 March 2004 9.0 
			 Poland December 2003 April 2004 39.6 
			 Portugal December 2003 April 2004 15.4 
			 Slovak Republic December 2003 April 2004 29.3 
			 Slovenia December 2003 April 2004 15.7 
			 Sweden December 2003 April 2004 16.1 
			 United Kingdom March 2004(8) Not applicable (8)11.8 
		
	
	(7) As published by Eurostat, 2 June 2004.
	(8) UK estimate published by Office for National Statistics on 12 May 2004 for the period January to March 2004.

G8 Summit (Scotland)

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to make specific funding available for security arrangements for the G8 summit in Scotland next year.

Paul Boateng: It is too early to say what the actual costs will be. The Treasury and Scottish Executive will assess and agree what the additional costs are. Extra funds will be made available by the UK Government to help meet the agreed additional policing costs.

Housing Stock Transfer

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what stamp duty is payable on large-scale voluntary stock transfer of council housing.

Ruth Kelly: Section 71 of Finance Act 2003 exempts such transfers from Stamp Duty Land Tax provided the transfer is to a Registered Social Landlord.

Life Expectancy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what life expectancy in the UK was in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) region, (b) sex and (c) social class.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 17 June 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what life expectancy in the UK was in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) region, (b) sex and (c) social class. (178935)
	Figures for life expectancy at birth for the UK and its constituent countries are published annually by the Government Actuary's Department. Figures for life expectancy at birth for English regions are published annually by ONS. Both sets of figures are based on three-year rolling averages and are calculated separately for males and females. The most recent available figures are for 2000–02. Figures covering the years requested are given in the attached tables 1 and 2.
	Figures by social class are derived using the ONS Longitudinal Study. This is a 1 per cent. sample of the population and therefore annual comparisons cannot be made reliably. The most recent available figures are for 1997–99 and are provided in the attached table 3.
	
		Table 1: Life expectancy at birthUnited Kingdom and constituent countries, since the period 1996–98
		
			  Life expectancy in yearsThree-year rolling averages 
			 Area 1996–98 1997–99 1998–2000 1999–01 2000–02 
		
		
			 Male  
			 United Kingdom 74.50 74.73 75.00 75.33 75.68 
			   
			 England 74.76 74.99 75.28 75.62 75.97 
			 Wales 74.24 74.36 74.66 74.92 75.41 
			 Scotland 72.40 72.64 72.84 73.10 73.31 
			 Northern Ireland 74.16 74.27 74.48 74.79 75.20 
			   
			 Female  
			 United Kingdom 79.56 79.69 79.90 80.13 80.39 
			   
			 England 79.76 79.89 80.10 80.34 80.60 
			 Wales 79.28 79.36 79.59 79.80 80.08 
			 Scotland 78.04 78.18 78.35 78.56 78.78 
			 Northern Ireland 79.49 79.46 79.55 79.75 80.13 
		
	
	Source:
	Government Actuary's Department (http://www.gad.gov.uk/Life Tables/lnterim Life tables.htm)
	
		Table 2: Life expectancy at birthGovernment Office Regions in England, since the period 1996–98
		
			  Life expectancy in yearsThree-year rolling averages 
			 Area 1996–98 1997–99 1998–2000 1999–01 2000–02 
		
		
			 Male  
			 North East 73.2 73.5 73.8 74.2 74.5 
			 North West 73.4 73.5 73.8 74.1 74.5 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 74.2 74.4 74.7 75.1 75.4 
			 East Midlands 74.9 75.1 75.3 75.7 76.1 
			 West Midlands 74.5 74.6 74.8 75.1 75.4 
			 East of England 76.1 76.3 76.5 76.8 77.0 
			 London 74.4 74.8 75.0 75.4 75.7 
			 South East 76.1 76.3 76.6 76.9 77.2 
			 South West 76.0 76.4 76.6 76.9 77.1 
			   
			 Female  
			 North East 78.4 78.5 78.7 79.0 79.3 
			 North West 78.5 78.6 78.9 79.1 79.4 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 79.3 79.5 79.7 80.0 80.2 
			 East Midlands 79.8 79.9 80.1 80.3 80.5 
			 West Midlands 79.6 79.7 79.8 80.0 80.3 
			 East of England 80.7 80.8 81.0 81.2 81.4 
			 London 79.9 80.0 80.3 80.5 80.7 
			 South East 80.7 80.9 81.1 81.3 81.5 
			 South West 81.0 81.1 81.3 81.5 81.7 
		
	
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8841)
	
		Table 3: Life expectancy at birth by social classEngland and Wales, period 1997–99
		
			   Life expectancy in years  Three-year rolling average 
			  Social class Male Female 
		
		
			 I Professional 78.5 82.8 
			 II Managerial and technical/intermediate 77.5 81.5 
			 III N Skilled non-manual 76.2 81.2 
			 III M Skilled manual 74.7 79.2 
			 IV Partly skilled 72.7 78.5 
			 V Unskilled 71.1 77.1 
		
	
	Source:
	Donkin A, Goldblatt P and Lynch K. (2002) Inequalities in life expectancy by social class, 1972–1999. Health Statistics Quarterly 15, 5–15.

Mental Health

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have left employment in his Department because of (a) anxiety, (b) stress, (c) depression and (d) other mental health reasons in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The number of staff leaving the Treasury on ill-health retirement since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 2 
			 1998 2 
			 1999 1 
			 2000 — 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 — 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 None to date 
		
	
	None of these ill-health retirements was specifically related to anxiety, stress, depression or other mental health reasons.

National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship

Brian Cotter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to launch the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship.

John Healey: The Department for Education and Skills and the Small Business Service are working with the chairman and board to develop the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship. It is expected to be launched by the end of 2004.

Penalty Notices (Tax Returns)

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cheques were encashed from penalty notices incorrectly issued by the Inland Revenue for filing late tax returns in each of the past five years; and what their total value was in each of those years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue does not hold this information.
	Where a penalty notice has been issued incorrectly we apologise unreservedly and cancel it straight away. There is no question of anyone who sent in their return on time being required to pay a penalty.

Property Taxation (Indexation)

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the linking of stamp duty and inheritance tax thresholds to house price growth indices; and if he will make a statement on homeowners' tax liabilities.

Ruth Kelly: All tax rates and thresholds are kept under review. Current receipts from Stamp Duty Land Tax and Inheritance Tax are provided in Table C8 of the Red Book.

Redundancies

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many redundancies were notified, broken down by nation and region, in each year since 2002; what these figures represent as a percentage of the total work force, broken down by nation and region; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Paul Holmes, dated 17 June 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about redundancy. (178013)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of redundancies experienced by survey respondents in the three month period before their inclusion in the survey. The attached table gives LFS estimates for the numbers of redundancies in each country and region of the UK in the three month periods ending in February of the years 2002 to 2004.
	The table also shows the rate of redundancies per 1,000 employees in each country and region of the UK for these periods. Redundancies are presented as rates per 1,000 employees rather than as percentages for consistency with published sources.
	The data are not seasonally adjusted. As with any statistical sample survey, estimates for the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Redundancy levels by region, three months ending February each year from 2002–04
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 209 183 137 
			 Great Britain 204 179 134 
			 England 173 149 116 
			 North East 11 (9)— (9)— 
			 North West (Inc. Merseyside) 25 20 22 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 11 13 10 
			 East Midlands 14 13 11 
			 West Midlands 20 21 10 
			 Eastern 17 16 16 
			 London 24 21 15 
			 South East 35 24 17 
			 South West 15 11 (9)— 
			 Wales 11 13 (9)— 
			 Scotland 21 18 13 
			 Northern Ireland (9)— (9)— (9)— 
		
	
	(9) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.
	Note:
	Data are not seasonally adjusted.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey.
	
		Redundancy rates(10) by region (redundancies per 1,000 employees in area), three months ending February each year from 2002–04
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 8.6 7.5 5.7 
			 Great Britain 8.7 7.6 5.7 
			 England 8.5 7.3 5.7 
			 North East 11.8 (11)— (11)— 
			 North West (Inc. Merseyside) 9.5 7.3 8.0 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 5.4 6.4 4.9 
			 East Midlands 7.6 7.3 6.0 
			 West Midlands 9.4 9.5 4.8 
			 Eastern 7.4 7.0 6.8 
			 London 8.2 7.3 5.3 
			 South East 10.0 7.1 5.1 
			 South West 7.5 5.3 (11)— 
			 Wales 10.2 11.7 (11)— 
			 Scotland 9.8 8.3 6.1 
			 Northern Ireland (11)— (11)— (11)— 
		
	
	(10) The redundancy rate is based on the ratio of the redundancy level for the given quarter to the number of employees in the previous quarter, multiplied by 1,000.
	(11) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.
	Note:
	Data are not seasonally adjusted.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the statement of 10 December 2003, Official Report, column 1064, on the Pre-Budget Report, how many regulatory impact assessments produced by his Department referring to the 147 regulations for reform or removal have been placed in the Library, including their reference numbers; and what the estimated benefit to business is in each case.

Ruth Kelly: None of the 147 deregulatory measures announced in the Pre-Budget Report were the responsibility of HM Treasury. The Department did not, therefore, produce any of the Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) linked to the 147 regulations for reform or removal which were announced with the Pre-Budget Report in December 2003. Among the regulations to reform there were several measures with direct benefits for business, including the increase to the statutory audit threshold, which freed 69,000 businesses from the obligation to undergo an independent audit. Final RIAs are laid in the House Library, and all published RIAs are also available from departmental websites.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Travel Office

Marion Roe: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the arrangements are for the future of the Travel Office; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: The Travel Office contract, managed jointly by the two Houses, has been let for a number of years to American Express. This contract will expire at the end of August. Following a full open competition under EU procurement rules, it has been decided to award the new contract to Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT). CWT will offer a wide range of services, including a continuing implant in the Palace of Westminster, access to preferential prices for both air and rail travel, foreign exchange, and an internet self-booking facility for those who wish to book online. It is expected that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations will apply, and the jobs of existing staff in the Travel Office will thus be protected.

TRANSPORT

"O" Licence

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the minimum number of hours per month is that a CPC-qualified transport manager has to work to qualify for the "O" Licence.

Kim Howells: There are no minimum limits to how much time transport managers should spend on their duties. The requirement is for the individual to have continuous and effective responsibility for the transport operations of a business. It is for the licensing authority, a traffic commissioner, to decide in each case if an applicant for a goods operator's licence satisfies this requirement.

Bus Subsidy Review

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for the (a) completion and (b) publication of the Government's bus subsidy review.

Tony McNulty: The bus subsidy review is nearing completion and the outcome will be announced later this summer.

Donaldson Inquiry

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recommendations from the May 1994 Donaldson Inquiry have been implemented; and which recommendations have yet to be implemented.

David Jamieson: Lord Donaldson made 103 recommendations (some of which are subdivided still further), and the vast majority have been implemented. Additionally, there are a small number of instances where legislative developments in the International Maritime Organization or the European Community have made the recommendation redundant.
	The following recommendations remain outstanding: recommendations 59 (Marine Environmental High Risk Areas) and 64 (ship-to-ship transfer in Lyme Bay), on which a substantial amount of work has been done, but which have not yet been fully implemented; recommendations 58 and 60, which are consequential to recommendation 59; and recommendation 67d, awaiting the development of experience of transponders on merchant ships.

Irish-registered Vehicles

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number of Irish-registered vehicles on the roads of the United Kingdom; and how many of these vehicles have up-to-date road tax.

David Jamieson: No figures are available for the number of Republic of Ireland vehicles in use on UK roads. Visiting Irish vehicles are exempt from UK licensing and registration requirements providing they are in this country for less than six months in any 12 and are registered and licensed in Ireland. If at any time a vehicle used here on Irish plates is stopped by the police, the driver is responsible for demonstrating that he/she is entitled to use it in the UK.
	Keepers of Irish registered vehicles who fail to observe these requirements are subject to the same enforcement and prosecution procedures as UK motorists.
	DVLA is currently working with the police and local authorities to gather information on all visiting vehicles to clarify the extent of the evasion problem and to introduce effective counter measures.

London Underground (Crime)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 284W, on crime (public transport), how many crimes were committed on each London Underground line in each year since 1998; and how many were (a) assaults, (b) of a sexual nature and (c) robberies, broken down by individual Underground line.

Tony McNulty: The British Transport Police (BTP) have advised me that this information is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Mobile Phones (Accidents)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries have been caused in each of the last five years by people using mobile phones while driving.

David Jamieson: holding answer 14 June 2004
	The information requested is not currently available. However, research has shown that using a mobile phone while driving is distracting and drivers are four times more likely to have an accident if they do so.

ONS Reports (Emissions)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Ministers or officials have made representations to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding the omission of figures relating to greenhouse gas emissions from air and freight transport from ONS reports; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Ministers have made no representations to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding the content of their reports. The content of ONS reports is a matter for ONS on which they alone take the final decision after consultation as appropriate. The Department for Transport (DfT) is involved in the quality assurance process for some ONS reports, which involves discussion at official level. The quality assurance process may identify data quality or methodological issues that lead to ONS changing their reports.
	As part of the quality assurance process, DfT officials contacted ONS seeking clarifications on the methodology used to produce the figures on GHG emissions in the Environmental Accounts published on 20 May. Subsequently, the DfT Head of Freight Statistics informed ONS they were unable to reconcile the figures in the Environmental Accounts with DfT data on the road freight industry. In this case, DfT Statisticians were concerned about data quality and methodological issues. ONS agreed that further investigation was required. ONS has publicly made clear that: "The Office for National Statistics (ONS) alone took the decision on the final wording of the news release on the environmental accounts (report, 27 May 2004). There was no improper pressure from the Department for Transport or anywhere else. ONS could not satisfy itself fully on technical concerns over the reconciliation of figures on road freight emissions based on alternative definitions and hence decided that it would not be appropriate to focus upon transport emissions. There was nothing unusual about the process adopted on this occasion and it is completely wrong to suggest that the figures were "withdrawn" or "removed from the . . . report". The published datasets were not amended in any way and were published on the National Statistics website in their entirety."
	Once the reconciliation work is completed it will be made publicly available.

Timetables

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require train operating companies and bus companies to consult each other in advance of making changes to timetables.

Tony McNulty: Provision already exists to promote integration between different local transport modes. Local authorities take into account rail and bus modes when drawing up local transport plans. For rail timetables, the Strategic Rail Authority requires franchise operators to consult with stakeholders during their preparation. Train operators are also required to participate in Integrated Transport Schemes designated in the agreements.
	The arrangements for the provision of bus services differ significantly from those of the franchised rail services. The majority of bus services are provided on a commercial basis by private operators. Decisions by bus operating companies on whether to consult with train operators in advance of making timetable changes are a commercial judgment for the company involved.

Strategic Rail Authority

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff were employed by the Strategic Rail Authority in each year since its creation, broken down by department.

Tony McNulty: At its inception, in February 2001, the SRA employed 337 people. Records of staff numbers by Directorate have been kept in their present form since October 2002 and the figures are as follows:
	
		
			 Directorate Headcount at 16 October 2002 Headcount at 31 March 2003 Headcount at 31 March 2004 
		
		
			 Freight 21 23 21 
			 Operations 126 134 135 
			 Strategic planning 36 40 84 
			 Technical 4 6 9 
			 Finance and commercial 77 88 100 
			 Deputy Chief Executive 30 31 46 
			 Communications 30 29 26 
			 Chairman's office 18 29 28 
			 Community Rail Development 0 0 5 
			 Total 342 380 454

Oxford-East Anglia Rail Link

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress of the proposed East West railway link between Oxford and East Anglia.

Tony McNulty: An updated Business Case has now been put forward by the East-West Rail Consortium for the Western End of the East West Rail Link. This proposal involves upgrading and re-opening the line between Oxford and Bedford. Officials at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are considering the updated business case, particularly in light of the potential impact of the scheme on the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan. The Strategic Rail Authority is also considering the Western End business case. Any appraisal will need to be considered against other priorities, the outcome of the current rail review and the Government's spending review.

Ship-to-ship Transfers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department first started reviewing draft proposals concerning the regulation of ship-to-ship transfer activities within UK waters; and when his Department expects to complete the review.

David Jamieson: Draft legislation and guidelines to control ship-to-ship transfer operations within UK waters were developed in 1998. Since that time, owners and operators of ships carrying out ship-to-ship transfer operations in UK waters have adhered to guidelines based on the draft legislation.
	With the increased traffic in heavy fuel oil coming out of the Baltic area, we are reconsidering this draft legislation. I anticipate that revised draft legislation will go out to consultation in the autumn.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Attainment Gap

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to decrease the gap in attainment between children from higher and lower socio-economic groups.

David Miliband: All our education policies are based on the conviction that every child should be able to achieve at the highest level of their potential, irrespective of background. Our national key stage strategies have an essential role to play in narrowing the attainment gap by raising expectations of all our children.
	But we also have targeted programmes aimed at narrowing the gap. We are investing heavily in our Sure Start programmes, with additional funding of £669 million by 2007–08 compared with 2004–05, because we know that the early years of a child's life are crucial in determining the outcomes for children when they grow up.
	The Excellence in Cities programme which now includes Leadership Incentive Grant (LIG) and Behaviour Improvement Plans (BIP) is making a real difference—as are measures to tackle underperformance which provide support and challenge to schools and authorities falling below floor targets. In terms of five good GCSEs, schools in EiC whole authority areas improved at more than twice the average of non-EiC schools. And after the first year of the BIP (2002–03), unauthorised absence across secondary schools in the programme in the initial 34 LEAs dropped from 3.03 per cent. to 2.94 per cent. In primary schools the corresponding figures were a drop in unauthorised absence from 1.29 per cent. to 1.17 per cent. Fixed term exclusions dropped by 11 per cent. in secondary schools.
	The number of schools below the Government's floor targets for attainment at Key Stage 4 has dropped sharply: in 2000, the number of schools below 20 per cent. was 241—that figure had dropped to 114 in 2003.

Child Care

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition the Government use of a child care place; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Child care places are defined to include: places for pre-school children in day nurseries or with child minders which last four hours or longer per day 1 ; places for children receiving nursery education which, combined with the nursery education, last at least four hours per day 2 ; and places for statutory school age children aged up to 14 (16 for those with special educational needs or disabilities) in breakfast or after school clubs or with child minders for any length of time, or in holiday play schemes of four hours or longer per day. In addition, the Government also provide a guarantee of a free nursery education place for every three and four-year-old whose parents want one. A nursery education place consists of a minimum of five two and half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year.
	The number of child care places created between April 1997 and March 2004 is 1,006,000 helping some 1,812,000 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 541,000 helping some 991,000 children.
	1 Where places are provided for pre-school children as part of the Children's Centre or Neighbourhood Nurseries programme, the provision must have the capacity to deliver a minimum of 10 hours care per day.
	2 Prior to April 2004 the definition of a child care place for pre-school children included any place lasting at least three and a half hours per day.

Children's Homes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what quality standards have to be met for privately-run children's homes to operate and to accommodate children placed by local authorities.

Margaret Hodge: All children's homes are statutorily required to comply with the Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and are expected to meet the Children's Homes National Minimum Standards. The standards are intended to be qualitative in that they provide a tool for judging the quality of life experienced by children cared for in a home, but they are also designed to be measurable. The Commission for Social Care Inspection is responsible for the registration and inspection of children's homes against these standards and encourages improvement in the quality of the care provided.

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what work his Department has undertaken on the potential for domestic violence work to be done via the new children's centres.

Margaret Hodge: Children's centres have the flexibility to develop family support services according to local need. Many Sure Start local programmes already operate a range of initiatives related to tackling domestic violence, and we will look to build on this good practice as the children's centre network expands.

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skill 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the availability of materials to educate children and young people about domestic violence; how many schools had access to such material in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003; and how many now have access to such material;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary with regard to including information about domestic violence in the personal health and social education curriculum.

Margaret Hodge: Within Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship there is already scope to discuss domestic violence, including how families deal with it and where to go for help. Individual schools and teachers decide on the materials they use in the delivery of PSHE. The Department does not assess the availability of materials.
	Last year the DfES supported the production of a resource pack for schools called "Watch Over Me" which deals with a range of personal safety issues including a domestic violence scenario. The resource was sent to all secondary schools and pupil referral units. A teaching pack called "Does Sex Make a Difference?" which includes a module on domestic violence, is available to all schools through the teachernet website.

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what work the Minister for Children has undertaken to ensure that information sharing systems provide adequate protection for children whose mothers have experienced domestic violence and moved away from a violent partner.

Margaret Hodge: The information-sharing databases that we propose to establish and operate under clause 8 of the Children Bill will have stringent security arrangements to ensure that only appropriate practitioners are able to access a child's record. Audit trails will enable those managing the databases to identify attempts to gain inappropriate access. Regulations will be made in due course governing the disclosure of information from the databases. Detailed guidance will be produced for practitioners and those managing the databases, to ensure that information on the databases is handled properly and consistently. This guidance will draw on the experience of the Trailblazer pilots currently under way.
	We will also examine with these pilots what is the best way to handle the details of children whose mothers have experienced domestic violence and have moved away from a violent partner. A number of pilots have the facility for certain details, such as address, to be blocked out where that is considered necessary to provide reassurance. Subject to the passage of the Children Bill, the proposed regulations and guidance for wider roll-out of information-sharing databases will include any specific arrangements we conclude are necessary for the records of children in such circumstances.

Education Bodies (Staffing)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the full-time equivalent headcount of the (a) Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, (b) Learning and Teaching Support Network and (c) Higher Education Academy was in each year since 1997; and how much funding was allocated to each body in each year.

Alan Johnson: The available staffing and funding figures for the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ILTHE) and Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) are given in the table. The bulk of LTSN funding is spread over 24 subject centres for setting up, supporting and developing learning and teaching networks and promoting and sharing good practice through projects and events. The HE Academy is currently being set up and both the LTSN and ILTHE have recently joined the academy. It advises that it currently has 60 staff (including those from the ILTHE and LTSN). HEFCE have allocated a budget of £1.9 million for the academy until the end of the 2003/04 academic year.
	
		
			 Academic year HEFCE funding (£ million) Staffing 
			  ILTHE LTSN ILTHE LTSN 
		
		
			 1998/99 (12)1.19 — — — 
			 1999/2000 1 5 14 1 (plus 1 secondee) 
			 2000/01 (13)— 6 23 15 
			 2001/02 (13)— 6 25 18 
			 2002/03 (13)— 6.5 28 23 
			 2003/04 (13)— 6.5 30 22 
		
	
	(12) Initial start up costs—no staff in post.
	(13) From 2000/01—no HEFCE funding. ILTHE sustained through membership fees.

Education Costs (London)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of educating a child to age 16 was in each London borough in the most recent period for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The information is available for the 2003–04 financial year and is contained within the following table:
	
		Funding per pupil to age 16
		
			 LEA name £ 
		
		
			 Camden 70,900 
			 Greenwich 64,600 
			 Hackney 75,500 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 70,000 
			 Islington 71,600 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 73,500 
			 Lambeth 73,600 
			 Lewisham 67,900 
			 Southwark 69,000 
			 Tower Hamlets 75,100 
			 Wandsworth 63,800 
			 Westminster 68,600 
			 Barking and Dagenham 54,300 
			 Barnet 51,200 
			 Bexley 47,300 
			 Brent 60,000 
			 Bromley 47,300 
			 Croydon 51,900 
			 Ealing 57,300 
			 Enfield 53,500 
			 Haringey 64,100 
			 Harrow 51,700 
			 Havering 47,100 
			 Hillingdon 50,000 
			 Hounslow 55,500 
			 Kingston upon Thames 47,600 
			 Merton 51,700 
			 Newham 61,500 
			 Redbridge 49,300 
			 Richmond upon Thames 47,400 
			 Sutton 48,000 
			 Waltham Forest 57,700 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Funding includes education formula spending plus all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 3–15. EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level are excluded.
	2. The pupil numbers used are those underlying the EFS settlement calculations.
	3. Figures are provisional as some grants in 2003–04 have not yet been finalised/audited.
	4. Figures are rounded to the nearest £100.
	5. Figures are based on eight years of funding for pupils ages three to 10 and five years of funding for pupils ages 11–15.
	6. Calculations are based on an LEA's total funding per pupil in 2003–04 multiplied by the average number of years in school.

Education Funding

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in Crosby in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Crosby is a district of Sefton LEA. The information for Sefton LEA is as follows:
	
		Net current expenditure
		
			 £ 
			  Pre-primary education Primary education Pre-primary and primary Secondary education Special 
		
		
			 1996–97 — n/a 1,880 2,640 19,520 
			 1997–98 n/a n/a 1,890 2,630 20,190 
			 1998–99 n/a n/a 2,010 2,690 19,950 
			 1999–2000 4,690 2,170 2,180 2,780 23,920 
			 2000–01 16,780 2,330 2,410 3,010 26,120 
			 2001–02 30,560 2,570 2,740 3,430 27,410 
			 2002–03  2,840 — 3,640 — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Sefton LEAs' Section 52 outturn statement submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 1999–2000. Hence, for consistency, the combined unit cost is provided since 1996–97 but due to LEA expenditure on pupils in independent nurseries the unit cost for primary education is a more robust measure.
	2. The outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99.
	4. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	7. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	8. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Education Funding

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent in Crosby from the (a) Connexions Programme, (b) the Positive Activities for Young People Programme, (c) Millennium Volunteers Programme, (d) Transforming Youth Work Development Fund, (e) Community Champions Fund and (f) Pathfinder Young Community Champions Fund.

Margaret Hodge: Most of this funding is directed through local accountable bodies that cover a wider geographical area than Crosby. In each case, that body has the freedom to use its funding flexibly, within a broad overall framework, to meet local priorities. Each of the respective local bodies may have used some of its funding in the Crosby area but, in most cases, it is not possible to identify expenditure at that level of detail. The table shows how much funding has been paid by the DfES to each of the relevant local bodies for the initiatives concerned.
	
		
			 Initiative/funding steam Local accountable body (i.e. area covered) Amount paid (£) Initiative start date 
		
		
			 (a) Connexions Service Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership 43,286,000 2001 
			 (b) Positive Activities for Young People Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership (but note that figure relates to Crosby area) 69,000 2003 
			 (c) Millennium Volunteers Various (figure relates to Sefton area) 369,000 2000 
			 (d) Transforming Youth Work Development Fund Sefton Council 176,000 2002 
			 (e) Community Champions Fund Various (figure relates to Sefton area) 19,000 2001 
			 (f) Pathfinder Young Community Champions Fund (see note 2 below) — — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The amounts shown relate to the period from the start of each initiative until the end of the 2003–04 financial year (and are rounded to the nearest £000).
	2. PYCCF is delivered in Community Cohesion Pathfinder Areas. In the North West these include Bury, Rochdale and East Lancashire but not Sefton/Crosby.

Education Funding

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in (a) Kent and (b) Liverpool in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

David Miliband: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		Net current expenditure per pupil
		
			 £ 
			  Primary Pre-primary and primary Secondary 
		
		
			 Kent LEA
			 1997–98 n/a 1,890 2,900 
			 2002–03 2,790 — 3,620 
			 
			 Liverpool LEA
			 1997–98 n/a 1,880 2,640 
			 2002–03 3,250 — 4,150 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from Kent and Liverpool's Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the DfES; the 1997–98 financial data is taken from the ODPM's R01 statement. The 1997–98 figures are Kent LEA prior to local government reorganisation. From 1998–99 onwards parts of Kent LEA became Rochester and Gillingham LEAs. 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA.
	2. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 Outturn Statement in 1999–2000.
	3. The outturn 2002–03 captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers.
	4. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEAs.
	5. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	7. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Education Funding

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent per pupil in Stoke-on-Trent North in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than constituency level and as such the figures provided are for Stoke-on-Trent LEA.
	
		Net current expenditure
		
			 £ 
			  Pre-primary education Primary education Pre-primary and primary Secondary education Special 
		
		
			 1996–97 n/a n/a 1,660 2,290 9,630 
			 1997–98 n/a n/a 1,790 2,540 11,240 
			 1998–99 n/a n/a 2,040 2,580 14,560 
			 1999–2000 4,610 2,180 2,240 2,880 14,130 
			 2000–01 5,570 2,330 2,400 3,170 14,690 
			 2001–02 8,070 2,650 2,760 3,440 15,840 
			 2002–03 — 2,710 — 3,430 — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from local education authorities1 Section 52 Outturn Statement submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's RO1 statement previously. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA. Prior to local government reorganisation (LGR) in 1997–98 Stoke-on-Trent LEA was part of Staffordshire LEA. Consequently figures for 1996–97 are for pre-LGR Staffordshire LEA and figures for 1997–98 onwards are for Stoke-on-Trent LEA.
	2. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of moneys from local government to central government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99. 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	3. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of the Section 52 outturn statement in 1999–2000.
	4. The outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers.
	5. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	7. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	8. The NCE per pupil figures for special schools relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained special schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained special schools sector.
	9. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Education Funding

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent per pupil in 2003–04 for each school in the London borough of Wandsworth.

David Miliband: The information requested is not yet available. The Department is due to collect the data relating to the 2003–04 financial year in October 2004.

Education Funding

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change in the average amount spent (a) per primary school pupil and (b) per secondary school pupil has been in Warrington, North since 1997.

David Miliband: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas rather than districts within an area. Warrington, North is a district of Warrington local education authority. The information for Warrington LEA is as follows:
	
		Net current expenditure
		
			 £ 
			  Primary education Pre-primary and primary education Secondary education 
		
		
			 1997–98 n/a 2,080 2,900 
			 1998–99 n/a 2,130 2,760 
			 1999–2000 2,210 2,240 2,870 
			 2000–01 2,390 2,480 3,070 
			 2001–02 2,580 2,720 3,240 
			 2002–03 2,690 2,840 3,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The financial data are taken from local education authorities' Section 52 Outturn Statements submitted to the DfES from 1999–2000 onwards and the ODPM's R01 statement previously.
	2. Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of moneys from local government to central government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government in 1998–99. Prior to local government reorganisation (LGR) in 1998–99 Warrington LEA was included as part of Cheshire LEA and consequently the 1997–98 figures are for Cheshire LEA (pre-LGR). 1999–2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. Expenditure was not distinguished between pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 in 1999–2000.
	3. The outturn 2002–03 tables captured the data in a fundamentally different way to the previous years. Categories were aligned with the Consistent Financial Reporting framework and the spending by LEAs was no longer split by school sector. Consequently the unit costs per pupil in 2002–03 are not strictly comparable with earlier years as they include an apportionment of LEA expenditure based on pupil numbers. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2002–03 data is subject to change by the LEA.
	4. Real terms figures used are adjusted to 2002–03 prices using the March 2004 GDP deflators.
	5. Net current expenditure (NCE) includes expenditure within schools and also that incurred centrally by the LEA.
	6. The NCE per pupil figures for pre-primary and primary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in the pre-primary sector and maintained primary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained nursery and primary schools sector.
	7. The NCE per pupil figures for secondary relate the net current expenditure (after recharges) in maintained secondary schools to the total number of financial year pupils who are educated in the maintained secondary schools sector.
	8. Pupil data are drawn from the Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

Educational Psychologists

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of future (a) demand and (b) supply of educational psychologists across local education authorities; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many qualified educational psychologists were employed by local education authorities in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Decisions on the recruitment, retention and deployment of educational psychologists (EPs) are matters for local authorities as employers to determine in light of local circumstances and available resources.
	We are aware that there are shortages of EPs in some areas and that, as with other professions, there is a likelihood of a good many experienced staff retiring in the near future. In view of this, the Department has facilitated discussions involving a range of partners, including representatives of the Local Government Association, on developing a new shorter entry training route for EPs. The scheme under discussion would ensure EPs qualifying in six rather than eight years. Years 1–3 would be the Psychology degree course followed by a further three years of postgraduate training built around work placements. Years 4–6 would be managed by higher education institutions in partnership with local authorities.
	The new route would require significant additional funding, the case for which will need to be considered within the wider context of the 2004 Spending Review. Ministers are currently considering the final allocation of the SR settlement in the light of our overall priorities.
	As regards the number of EPs employed by local authorities, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1420W.

Excellence in Cities (Leyton)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how Leyton schools have benefited from the Excellence in Cities initiative.

David Miliband: Waltham Forest has been part of the Excellence in Cities programme since it was launched in 1999 and the following Leyton Schools have benefited from EiC funding: Barclay Infant School, Barclay Junior School, Belmont Park School, Church Mead Junior School, Dawlish Primary School, George Mitchell School, Newport Infant School, Newport Junior School, Norlington School for Boys, The Beaumont School and The Lammas School.
	EiC in Waltham Forest has given Leyton schools access to enhanced opportunities for their gifted and talented pupils, learning mentors for those with barriers to learning, and Learning Support Units to tackle disruption. The programme also provides City Learning Centres and EiC Action Zones as well as leading on to Aim Higher and incorporating the Behaviour Improvement programme and Leadership Incentive Grant.
	The following table shows the number of children in Leyton benefiting from EiC, and the annual spend per pupil for the years that Leyton schools have been part of EiC.
	
		
			  Number of children Total EiC expenditure(£)(14) Spend per pupil (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,196 58,854 49.21 
			 2000–01 3,865 (15)229,446 59.37 
			 2001–02 4,017 420,027 104.56 
			 2002–03 4,150 460,277 110.91 
			 2003–04 4,338 905,957 208.84 
		
	
	(14) All funding figures supplied by Waltham Forest Excellence in Cities Team.
	(15) Estimated.
	Note:
	The increase in the rate of EiC funding and the number of pupils benefiting in 2000–01 was due to the Leyton primary schools becoming part of the EiC Primary Extension Pilot. The increase in funding in 2003–04 was due to the introduction of the Leadership Incentive Grant and the Behaviour Improvement Programme.

Implementation Review Unit

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many members of staff are employed by the Implementation Review Unit, broken down by (a) civil servants including grade, (b) advisers and (c) salary.

David Miliband: holding answer 10 June 2004
	Three civil servants employed by DfES work for the secretariat to the Implementation Review Unit as part of their role. A Grade 7 works 0.5 of the full-time equivalent for the Unit's secretariat, and a Higher Executive Officer and Higher Executive Officer (Developmental) both work 0.8 of the full-time equivalent.
	Two advisers work for the Implementation Review Unit; an LEA adviser for 50 days per year, and an education adviser for 20 days per year.
	Salary ranges for London DfES staff are as follows:
	Grade 7: £41,114 to £51,574
	HEO(D): £24,881 to £35,814
	HEO: £24,881 to £29,615
	The salary range for the LEA adviser is £42,777 to £47,058 pro rata. The salary range for the education adviser is £53,586 to £75,147 pro rata.

Muslim Schools

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to encourage the setting up of single-sex Muslim schools.

David Miliband: The Government's overriding aim is to raise standards. As part of this we welcome faith schools in the maintained sector, to meet clear demand from parents. Decisions about whether or not new schools should open are made at a local level by the School Organisation Committee for the area or by the Schools Adjudicator if the Committee cannot reach a unanimous decision.

Nursery Day Care (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many nursery day care places there are in the London borough of Wandsworth; and what contribution towards the cost of these places is paid by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities.

Margaret Hodge: There were 3,520 registered full day care places in Wandsworth at March 2004. The total expenditure and breakdown of local authority subsidy on day care in Wandsworth is not held centrally.
	All three and four-year-olds are entitled to a free part-time early education place, of 2.5 hours per day, 33 weeks of the year, which may be offset against the cost of full day care. From April 2003, funding to support the delivery of that entitlement was consolidated within the under fives sub-block of each LA's Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of education funding. The under fives sub-block for Wandsworth is £18.5 million for 2004–05.
	Wandsworth have been allocated Sure Start General Grant Funding of almost £3 million for 2004–06, which includes a target to create 1,138 child care places, including full day care and wrap around care to early education places. A ring-fenced element within the Grant can be used to support and sustain existing good quality child care.
	The Government are also supporting the creation of full day care in Wandsworth through Neighbourhood Nursery funding. Wandsworth has been developing seven nursery projects to deliver 140 places. 35 of these places are already open across four existing nurseries and revenue grant of £189,000 is available over the next three years to support them. We have made available £343,000 of capital funding to help with the building works.
	Child care fees payable by parents are also subsidised by central Government through the tax credit system. This amounts in total to approximately £700 million per year, although it is not possible to provide a figure for the amount claimed in Wandsworth.

Parliamentary Questions

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 26 May 2004, Official Report, column 1690W, on test and examination costs, if he will make a statement on the initial costs of (a) AS, (b) A-level and (c) A2 examinations for all schools for 2002–03.

David Miliband: Through the examinations modernisation programme, which was referred to in the answer to the previous question, we are continuing to analyse the costs incurred by colleges and school on general examinations, and to look at ways of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of school and college exam office administration.

PFI Projects

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital funding was made available through private finance initiative projects for (a) primary school and (b) secondary school buildings in Stoke-on-Trent North in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: There is a private finance initiative project in Stoke-on-Trent which provides energy, energy management and repair and maintenance work to all 122 maintained schools in the Local Education Authority. The contract was signed in November 2000 with Transform Schools (Stoke) and was supported by £93 million PFI credits. Of the £93 million PFI credits, £13.4 million were made available for the primary school buildings and £7.7 million for the secondary school buildings in the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency.

Probationary Teachers

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what monitoring he has carried out of the support for probationary teachers; and what evidence he has collated on the effect probationary teacher support has on teacher retention.

David Miliband: An independent report from the Institute of Education, "Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Statutory Arrangements for the Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers", in May 2002 found that the quality of provision for newly qualified teachers has improved since the introduction of induction.
	Research by the General Teaching Council for England has shown that teachers who are exposed to any sort of professional development opportunities are more likely to be in teaching in five years time compared with those who have not had such opportunities.

Qualifications

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people of working age in (a) Merseyside and (b) the UK had no qualifications in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The table shows the proportion and number of working age 1 people with no qualifications in (a) Merseyside and (b) the United Kingdom. Data comes from the winter quarter of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in 2003–04.
	
		
			  No qualifications 
			  Percentage Number 
		
		
			 Qualification level   
			 Merseyside 23.3 194,000 
			 United Kingdom 14.4 5,223,000 
		
	
	Reducing the number of people with no qualifications is a major priority for the Government. The Skills Strategy announced a number of measures to address this issue. In particular, we are introducing a new entitlement to free learning for all those studying for those first Level 2 qualifications as a foundation for employability. We have also said that we will introduce a new adult learning grant of up to £30 a week for full-time learners studying for their first Level 2 qualification. We want to improve the quality of information, advice and guidance to help people choose the right course for them. Basic skills needs for those without qualifications are being addressed through the Government's Skills for Life strategy. We have also asked regional development agencies to work with the Learning and Skills Council, the Small Business Service, Jobcentre Plus, Skills for Business and others to ensure that the aims of Skills Strategy are delivered in a more co-ordinated way that connects with the needs of employers and individuals at the regional, local and sectoral level through the creation of strong and effective Regional Skills Partnerships.
	1 Working age population refers to males aged 16–64 and females aged 16–59.

Schools (Use Outside School Hours)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary school buildings are used outside of school hours, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We do not currently hold the data requested and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) of 27 May 2004, Official Report, column 1699, if he will list the successful schools that have expanded; and whether these schools were in areas with surplus places.

David Miliband: holding answer 10 June 2004
	The local School Organisation Committee has approved proposals for the expansion of the following successful and popular schools, and the necessary capital support has been agreed by the DfES.
	Fairfield High School, Bristol
	Maiden Erlegh School, Wokingham
	Bury Church of England High School, Bury
	Parrenthorn High School, Bury
	The percentage of secondary surplus places in Bristol is 11 per cent., in Wokingham it is 3 per cent., and in Bury it is 2 per cent.
	DfES is working with a number of further schools that wish to expand.

Sector Skills Councils

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many sector skills councils are (a) operational and (b) planned for the next three years.

Ivan Lewis: We are making good progress in setting up sector skills councils (SSCs). To date there are 16 licensed SSCs. Plans are well advanced for the development of proposals for a further eight SSCs and, in addition, the SSDA continues to work with a number of other sectors. We currently anticipate that there will be around 23 SSCs in place by the end of the year covering the majority of the work force. Any further additions to the network will depend on employers coming forward with appropriate proposals.

Sure Start

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking to support disadvantaged children who do not live in wards targeted by the Sure Start programme.

Margaret Hodge: The broad Sure Start programme benefits children, parents and communities across the country, delivering free early education for all three and four-year-olds, improving the quality and affordability of child care, and creating at least 250,000 new child care places by 2006. Sure Start children's centres are initially being established in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards in England. We recognise however that disadvantage exists outside of these wards, and the Sure Start Unit is considering proposals from local authorities to locate centres in such areas. The Government's long-term aim is to develop a children's centre in every community.

Sure Start

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to assess the effectiveness of Sure Start programmes.

Margaret Hodge: The Sure Start Unit carries out thorough evaluations of all its major programmes. A comprehensive national evaluation of Sure Start Local Programmes began in 2001 and is examining the effectiveness of Sure Start for children, families and communities by tracking a sample of 8,000 children and their families over time. Local Sure Start programmes also undertake their local educations to inform their programmes delivery. An evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative began in 2003 and is assessing how far it is helping to reduce unemployment by providing high quality child care in disadvantaged areas. Further information, including findings to date, is available on the Sure Start website www.surestart/ensuringquality/research

Teaching Posts (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on recruitment and retention of primary and secondary school teachers at schools in the Greater London area.

David Miliband: Recruitment and retention of both primary and secondary teachers across the Greater London area has improved considerably over the last couple of years. The provisional figures for 2004 show an increase of a further 600 FTE teachers across London taking the total to 61,500, compared to the figure in 1997 of 56,800. The full-time vacancy rates across all the maintained sectors—nursery, primary, secondary and special schools have dropped each year from 3.5 per cent. in 2001 to a provisional 1.4 per cent. in 2004; leaving a total of 680 vacancies across London as at January this year.

Training

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been given for the training of people in Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency since 1997; under what projects; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The Department allocates funds for education and training in the post-16 learning and skills sector to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC then decides the funding allocations at local level to learning providers. Information about these allocated is not collected by the Department. This is an operational matter and the responsibility of the LSC. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library. Some information will only be available from 2001 when the LSC assumed responsibility for funding some programmes from Training and Enterprise Councils and the Department. Information for these programmes prior to 2001 is not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Truancy

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets his Department has set in relation to reducing truancy in each year up to 2006; and what levels of funding will be made available in each year.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 14 June 2004
	Promoting regular school attendance and reducing levels of absence are key components of the Government's strategy to raise educational standards. The current national Public Service Agreement (PSA) target is to reduce the 2002 level of unauthorised absence by 10 per cent. in this school year; and to sustain the new lower level and improve overall attendance levels thereafter.
	To help achieve the current PSA target, the Department set the 56 LEAs facing some of the greatest challenges individual stretching targets to reduce unauthorised absence in 2003/04. These LEAs received extra resources to assist in improving support to schools and pupils with poor attendance and in devising better strategic approaches to attendance management.
	In all, the National Behaviour and Attendance Strategy is investing around £120 million in 2004–05 and £155 million in 2005–06 on measures to reduce exclusions or provide education for excluded pupils, to support vulnerable and disaffected pupils back into the classroom, to improve behaviour and to tackle truancy and improve school attendance. As many of the measures schools and LEAs implement will improve both pupils' behaviour and their attendance—and action in respect of one will often have an impact on the other—it is not possible to identify separately the level of expenditure allocated to tackling truancy alone.

PRIME MINISTER

Lockerbie

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what action he has taken as a result of his meeting with Lockerbie relatives on 24 May; and what next steps he proposes to take.

Tony Blair: We are taking forward issues raised by the representatives of the Lockerbie families at the meeting on 24 May. The families will be informed of the outcome.

DEFENCE

Airfield Support Services Project

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunities have been given, and what further opportunities are planned, to allow bidders for the Airfield Support Services Project to explain their proposals to relevant trade union officials and to respond to any concerns raised.

Adam Ingram: The opportunity for trade union involvement with the Airfield Support Services Project has been continuous throughout the project and remains ongoing. Each bidding consortia formally briefed the trade union side during September 2002 and it is believed that at least one consortium subsequently arranged additional meetings. There is no restriction on the bidding consortia in this regard and they are free to engage with the trade unions if requested or if they see fit to do so.

Army Medal Office

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff have been employed at the Army Medal Office to assist in the issuing of the Iraq medal since the beginning of the year; and how many are on (a) casual and (b) fixed-term contracts.

Ivor Caplin: The Army Medal Office established a section to deal specifically with the Iraq medal on 4 May 2004. The section comprises eight staff, including four on casual contracts and one on a fixed-term appointment.

Army Medal Office

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for the Suez Canal Zone (a) medal and (b) clasp have been (i) received and (ii) processed by the Army Medal Office in Droitwich Spa.

Ivor Caplin: As at 11 June 2004, the Army Medal Office has received over 28,500 applications for the Suez Canal Zone medal or clasp. Information that would distinguish applications for the medal and the clasp is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Of the 6,650 applications that have been processed, 5,315 medals and 418 clasps have been issued.

BAE Systems

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he first became aware of a letter from the then director of the Serious Fraud Office written on 8 March 2001 to Sir Kevin Tebbit, the Permanent Secretary of his Department, regarding allegations of fraud involving BAE Systems.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) on 25 May 2004, Official Report, column 1613W.

Baha Musa

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the investigation into the death of Baha Musa.

Adam Ingram: The investigation into the death of Baha Musa has been completed and the case is currently under consideration by Army Legal Services. It is therefore not appropriate for me to give any further details at this stage.

Detainee Interviewing Training

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any members of the British armed forces have (a) received training and (b) been involved in providing training at the United States army training school at Fort Benning in Georgia for the interviewing of detainees.

Adam Ingram: No members of the British armed forces have received training, or been involved in providing training, at Fort Benning for the interviewing of detainees.

Detainees (Hooding)

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the issue of the hooding of detainees was raised by officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross during meetings with British Army officers in 2003.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 25 May 2004
	Details of discussions between the armed forces and the International Committee of the Red Cross are confidential, but the issue was discussed.

Iraq

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he first made representations to his US counterpart regarding the International Committee of the Red Cross report on maltreatment of Iraqi prisoners by US forces in Iraq.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 20 May 2004
	I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Glenda Jackson) on 26 May 2004, Official Report, column 163SW.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department provided the classified examples on targets chosen in the war to which reference is made at paragraph 30 of the Government's response to the Defence Committee report on Lessons of Iraq, HC635.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence wrote to the Committee on 14 July 2003.

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2004, Official Report, columns 4–5WS, on Iraq, what the average time between an allegation by an Iraqi civilian of (a) ill-treatment, (b) injury and (c) death as a result of British military action and the opening of investigations into the allegations has been.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Military Police have a standard target of initiating an investigation within 24 hours of notification of an incident or allegation and this target has been met in all 75 cases investigated in Iraq which I referred to in my statement on 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 4–5WS.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2004, Official Report, column 663W, on Iraq, on what date in March 2003 Mr. Zaher died.

Adam Ingram: Mr. Zaher Sabti Zaher died on 24 March 2003.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) the names of the individuals and (b) the (i) date and (ii) nature of the incident concerned is in each of the 75 cases of civilian deaths that are subject to investigation in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 15 June 2004
	Of the 75 investigations of incidents involving civilians, 37 relate to deaths. The names of the deceased individuals (where known), together with the date and nature of the incident, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Date of incident Name Nature of incident 
		
		
			 24 March 2003 Zaher Sabti Zaher Operations 
			 12 April 2003 Kuwaiti national—further details unknown RTA 
			 12 April 2003 Tanik S. Mahmud Detainee 
			 29 April 2003 Ather Khalaf Mohammed Operations 
			 3 May 2003 Ali Salaam Operations 
			 7 May 2003 Dyab Rehman Nasser RTA 
			 8 May 2003 Radhi Nama Detainee 
			 11 May 2003 Nadhem Abdullah Operations 
			 17 May 2003 Abdul Al Jubba Mousa Ali Detainee 
			 18 May 2003 Hamza Abdul Hussein Al Askary RTA 
			 18 May 2003 Ahmed Jabber Kareem Detainee 
			 24 May 2003 Said Shabram Detainee 
			 26 May 2003 Wael Jaber Raheem Operations 
			 15 June 2003 Jassim Yassim Jabbar Al Shimillwy RTA 
			 2 August 2003 Hassan Abbad Saied Operations 
			 7 August 2003 A. J. Khalif Detainee 
			 21 August 2003 Hanan S. Matrud Operations 
			 24 August 2003 W. F. Muzban Operations 
			 15 September 2003 Baha Daoud Salim Musa Detainee 
			 27 December 2003 N. S. Khoulief Operations 
			 1 January 2004 G. G. H. D. Roomi Operations 
			 2 February 2004 S. A. Maltouf Operations 
			 3 February 2004 S. Kazim RTA 
			 18 February 2004 M. D. Habash RTA 
			 5 March 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 7 March 2004 S. A. A. Hamdy Operations 
			 27 March 2004 A. A. A. Abdullah RTA 
			 4 April 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 6 April 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 6 April 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 7 April 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 12 April 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 3 May 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 8 May 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 8 May 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 10 May 2004 Unknown Operations 
			 14 May 2004 Unknown Operations

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the families of Iraqi individuals whose deaths are or have been the subject of Special Investigation Branch inquiries have been given copies of official autopsy reports or equivalent documents.

Adam Ingram: In the majority of cases under investigation by the Special Investigations Branch into deaths of Iraqi civilians, families have refused to allow autopsies to be conducted on their relatives.
	A United Kingdom pathologist has carried out autopsies on two Iraqi civilians whose deaths are being investigated by the Special Investigation Branch. Once these investigations are complete, and subject to the permission of the pathologist who conducted the autopsy, these reports could be made available to the relatives, if requested.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which independent observer groups are given permission to visit British-run military and civilian prisons in Iraq; to whom their reports have been made on prison conditions; to what level within his Department such reports are sent; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The International Committee of the Red Cross regularly visit the British-run Divisional Temporary Detention Facility in Iraq. Discussions routinely take place between local ICRC representatives and British military staff to resolve any issues relating to the conditions in which internees are held. The ICRC produce confidential working papers which are passed to the UK General Officer Commanding in Iraq, and are staffed through the chain of command to the permanent joint headquarters and to the MOD head office if appropriate. Ministers are routinely kept abreast of the results of the ICRCs continuing scrutiny of British-run detention facilities in Iraq, and any substantive issues raised by the ICRC are promptly brought to their attention.

Medals

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the findings were of the review referred to in his Department's press statement of 17 May relating to the award of an Arctic medal.

Ivor Caplin: No press statement was issued on 17 May. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 1 March 2004, Official Report, columns 595–96.

Sensory Deprivation

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what directives are in force in the armed forces on the use of sensory deprivation techniques.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 March 2004
	Members of the armed forces may temporarily obscure the vision of apprehended individuals, for reasons of operational security, for example, while they are being transported through militarily sensitive areas. Vision may not be obscured during interrogation. The directive issued by the Chief of Joint Operations to the Commander of British Forces in Iraq covers methods that may be used when obscuring vision, and circumstances in which these methods may be applied.
	No other forms of sensory deprivation are permitted. Joint Warfare Publication 1–10 (Prisoner of War Handling) states that no forms of physical or mental pressure may be used for the purpose of inducing answers to questions, which would preclude the use of 'white noise' or any other sensory deprivation techniques.

Special Investigation Branch

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the freedom of information rules are governing access to completed reports of the Special Investigation Branch in which no further action is recommended.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 March 2004
	From 1 January 2005 any request for information held by the Ministry of Defence will be considered in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. A number of exemptions might apply to information contained in Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch reports, and requests will therefore need to be given case-by-case consideration.

Special Investigation Branch

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of Special Investigations Branch investigations was in the last five years; and in what proportion of cases action was taken.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Children Victims of War

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what requests he has received from the organisation, Children Victims of War for a meeting to discuss the current situation in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: I have not received any requests from the organisation Children Victims of War to discuss either Iraq or Afghanistan.

UNESCO

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings the British ambassador to UNESCO has attended since 1 January in his official capacity.

Hilary Benn: Our ambassador to UNESCO has attended a large number of meetings so far this year in his official capacity. These include the UNESCO Executive Board biannual session and related preparatory meetings with other board members, the European Union Group, the Commonwealth Group and the Geneva Group; UNESCO-hosted meetings on a wide range of issues falling within the organisation's Education, Science, Culture and Communications portfolio; meetings with DFID and other government Departments on policy towards UNESCO; and, a series of meetings in the UK and Paris on the re-establishment of the UK National Commission for UNESCO.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Overseas Investment

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will introduce legislation that will enable the Government to ban investment in countries where investment will have a negative impact and is contrary to British Government advice.

Denis MacShane: Investment usually has a positive, not a negative, impact. It is essential for sustainable economic development. In some exceptional circumstances, the Government have considered it appropriate not to encourage investment on the grounds that investment is not appropriate so long as the regime in question continues to suppress the basic rights of its people. In certain cases, British companies have disinvested at the request of the British Government. The Government have no plans however to introduce legislation in these cases. Any such legislation would in any event have to be compatible with the prohibitions on restrictions on the free movement of capital in the EC Treaty.

Guantanamo Bay

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the medical records of United Kingdom citizens who were detained in Guantanamo Bay were made available to the interrogators; and whether Her Majesty's Government has received representations from those former British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay in respect of their treatment while under detention.

Chris Mullin: The Government are not aware of any requests from the US authorities for the UK medical records of the British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay, The question of whether medical teams at Guantanamo Bay have made their medical records of the detainees available to the interrogators is a matter for the US authorities.
	We have made it very clear to the US authorities that the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay are entitled to be treated humanely. British officials have visited Guantanamo Bay on seven occasions to check on the welfare of the British detainees, most recently in March. None of the former British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay have made representations to the British Government about their treatment there since their return to the UK.

Rwanda

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom Government first received reports of acts of genocide being carried out in Rwanda; what action the Government took in immediate response; and when.

Chris Mullin: Rwandan President Habyarimana, and his Burundian counterpart President Cyprien Ntaryamira, were killed on 6 April 1994 when their aircraft was shot down over Kigali. Very soon afterwards, the British Government became aware of media and NGO reports of large-scale violence and mass killings in Rwanda. The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mark Lennox-Boyd) set out the Government's position and reaction to these events in a debate on Rwanda on 24 May 1994, Official Report, columns 312–15.

Working Holidaymaker Scheme

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people applied in 2003 for a visa under the Commonwealth working holidaymaker scheme; and from which countries they came.

Chris Mullin: There are 53 Commonwealth Member countries, including the United Kingdom. Zimbabwe is no longer a Commonwealth Member. However, for immigration purposes Zimbabwean nationals continue to be treated as Commonwealth nationals. Zimbabwean nationals remain, therefore, eligible to apply working holidaymaker visas. No applications from Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu or Vanuatu nationals were received in 2003. The following table shows the number of applications made for working holidaymaker visas during 2003, broken down by nationality.
	
		
			  Number of applications 
		
		
			 Antigua and Barbuda 2 
			 Australia 32,614 
			 Bahamas 2 
			 Bangladesh 217 
			 Barbados 45 
			 Belize 6 
			 Botswana 192 
			 BNO's and BOC's(16) 87 
			 Brunei 3 
			 Cameroon 72 
			 Canada 6,612 
			 Cyprus 25 
			 Dominica 15 
			 Fiji 30 
			 Gambia 8 
			 Ghana 4,684 
			 Grenada 7 
			 Guyana 81 
			 India 10,860 
			 Jamaica 894 
			 Kenya 173 
			 Lesotho 15 
			 Malawi 125 
			 Malaysia 3,469 
			 Maldives 4 
			 Malta 96 
			 Mauritius 125 
			 Mozambique 10 
			 Namibia 1,824 
			 New Zealand 8,796 
			 Nigeria 331 
			 Pakistan 128 
			 Papua New Guinea 3 
			 Seychelles 19 
			 Sierra Leone 16 
			 Singapore 247 
			 South Africa 34,242 
			 Sri Lanka 5,184 
			 St. Kitts and Nevis 4 
			 St. Lucia 33 
			 St. Vincent 24 
			 Swaziland 228 
			 Tanzania 28 
			 Tonga 1 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 749 
			 Uganda 68 
			 Zambia 111 
			 Zimbabwe 996 
		
	
	(16) British National Overseas (BNO) and British Overseas Citizen (BOC).
	Source:
	These statistics are obtained from UKvisas Central Reference System.

Working Holidaymaker Scheme

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications under the working holidaymaker scheme from (a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Sri Lanka, (d) Nigeria, (e) Ghana, (f) Sierra Leone, (g) Jamaica and (h) all new Commonwealth countries have been (i) received, (ii) refused, (iii) granted and (iv) appealed against since 25 August 2003.

Chris Mullin: There are 53 Commonwealth member countries, including the United Kingdom. The following table provides the figures requested between 25 August 2003 and 28 May 2004. These statistics are obtained from UKvisas central reference system. The figures in the table may not add up due to some applications received in 2003 overlapping into 2004 and equally the same applies for some received in 2002 but processed in 2003. Some applications are also withdrawn by the applicant before a decision is made.
	
		
			  Received Refused Issued Appealed 
		
		
			 India 9,995 5,276 1,728 1,445 
			 Pakistan 96 29 56 4 
			 Sri Lanka 4,935 3,873 1,075 638 
			 Nigeria 220 97 114 42 
			 Ghana 3,143 987 1,977 161 
			 Sierra Leone 13 11 3 2 
			 Jamaica 442 145 269 30 
			 All CC(17) 73,468 13,287 53,476 2,763 
		
	
	(17) All Commonwealth countries, including those broken down within the table.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what percentage of cases relating to Child Support the Child Support Agency has made an error in (a) January 1997, (b) January 2000 and (c) January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Elaine Fox to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated 17 June 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what percentage of cases relating to Child Support the Child Support Agency has made an error in (a) January 1997, (b) January 2000 and (c) January 2004; and if he will make a statement.
	The Agency does not hold statistically valid information for the percentages of cases where the Agency has made errors in the months quoted in the question.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to what date he has instructed his Department to work for the publication of draft regulations for the Financial Assistance Scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to my Statement during report stage of the Pensions Bill on 19 May 2004, Official Report, columns 984–85.

New Deal for 50 Plus

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the New Deal 50 Plus Training Grant will be retained after the changes to the New Deal announced on 19 May.

Malcolm Wicks: Following the publication of a preliminary paper on the 19 May, today we published our full strategy paper "Building on New Deal: Local solutions meeting individual needs".
	The New Deal has already helped over a million people to find jobs and we are continuing to build on this success. The strategy published today will introduce greater flexibility into our employment programmes, providing a service tailored to the needs of individuals, local areas and local employers. Jobcentre Plus District Managers will have increased flexibility to provide whichever type of support is needed to help people move into sustained work.
	Our strategy for employment programmes is developing in parallel with the development of the Government's overall skills strategy. As the strands of these strategies develop we will continue to explore the most appropriate way of ensuring that older workers can access the training they need.

Objectives' Programmes

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much public funding has been spent from the (a) Objective 1, (b) Objective 2 and (c) Objective 3 programmes in Crosby, since the programmes' inception.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund in Merseyside. The Department for Work and Pensions hold a similar role for the European Social Fund. Merseyside does not receive Objective 2 or Objective 3 funding and information on levels of European funding at ward level is not held. However Objective 1 public funding is available in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, which includes Crosby, and the following table shows how much has been spent from the start of the current programme in 2000 to 14 June 2004. Final figures for domestic match funding only become available as projects complete. As the majority of projects are still under way the figures given for domestic public match funding are estimated using data from the Merseyside Objective 1 programme plan. In addition to the funding shown here it should be noted that almost 50 per cent. of the Objective 1 programme delivers pan-Merseyside projects, to which residents and businesses in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton also have access.
	
		£
		
			 Fund European structural funds grant paid Estimated domestic public match funding 
		
		
			 European Regional Development Fund 6,557,069 12,854,600 
			 European Social Fund 8,428,073 26,850,000 
			 Totals 14,985,142 39,704,600

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Competitiveness

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact which the UK National Allocation Plan will have on the competitiveness of UK industry.

Stephen Timms: The UK has set out to implement the EU ETS in a way that meets the twin goals of maintaining UK industry's competitiveness, while maintaining commitment to our environmental goals. As the EU ETS is a new instrument, and, before the start of the first Phase, there remain great uncertainties as to what the EU allowance price may be, detailed analysis of the potential impact on the UK of the scheme was necessary to inform our decisions on implementation. An additional and crucial uncertainty has been how other member states will implement the scheme.
	The DTI published an analytical paper on the impact of the EU ETS on UK industry, examining in particular the trading patterns of EU ETS sectors and possible regional dimensions to the impacts. This is available on the DTI website at www.dti.gsi.gov.uk/energy/sepn/euets.shtml. in addition, we commissioned ILEX Energy consultants to examine the possible impact on electricity prices of differing EU allowance prices and the impact on power sector investment. This paper is available on the DTI website, as above. Further work has been commissioned to examine the cross EU impacts on power prices.
	This analysis informed the decision for the UK to allocate allowances equal to estimates of what sectors will require in the 2005–07 period under 'with measures' projections. This is to ensure that EU ETS will not impose a reduction in emissions beyond what is expected given current measures. The exception to this is electricity generation, which due to the very limited international competition that the industry faces, has been allocated a reduction below 'with measures' projections in the 2005–07 period.
	When the Commission's assessment and decisions on all NAPs have been made, a more informed assessment of the impact of EU ETS on UK industry will be possible.

Competitiveness

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on UK competitiveness of the national allocation plans of other EU member states; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The UK has closely followed the publication of other member states National Allocation Plans (NAPs), and, has actively called for robust and consistent review by the Commission. The need for the Commission to ensure there is consistent adherence to the principles of the Directive's rules for allocation in each NAP, as well as an assessment of possible State Aid implications from allocation, is crucial to ensure that there is minimal distortion of competition between the EU member states.
	The Commission has yet to make final decisions on the 14 NAPs submitted to date, so no detailed assessment of the competition implications for the UK can be made. However, ECOFYS consultancy has been commissioned to analyse key aspects of other member states NAPs that are published, which inform UK comments in the peer review process of NAPs. We will continue to work with the Commission to highlight where clear distortions of competition arise from implementation and breaches of the directive establishing the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Departmental Budgets

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the 5 per cent. reduction in real terms in her Department's administration budget by 2008, announced by the Chancellor in the House on 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 331.

Patricia Hewitt: The real terms reduction of 5 per cent. or more will be a central feature of the public spending settlements for 2006–08 to be announced in detail later this year.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will urge the European Commission to delay the start of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme until it has approved the National Allocation Plan of each member state.

Stephen Timms: The EU Emissions Trading Directive and related regulations on the monitoring and reporting of emissions from installations covered by the scheme comes into force in every member state from 1 January 2005.
	It is crucial that NAPs from member states that have not been submitted to the Commission in sufficient time ahead of January 2005 are not subject to less thorough or differing assessment or approval mechanisms by the Commission. The UK has asked for clarification on this, and the Commission has stated that the three month period for assessment of the plan by the Commission will be retained, regardless of when the date of notification of the NAP is. Late submissions of National Allocation Plans will not lift the requirements to comply with the directive in any member state, rather it will deny industry the certainty and access to use of the market from the outset to help in compliance. There are no plans to call for a delay in the start of the scheme.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of reliance other EU member states are placing on project credits available from the Kyoto project mechanism to meet their national targets for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Stephen Timms: To date, 14 National Allocation Plans for the EU ETS, including the UK's, have been submitted to the European Commission. Of these, seven have indicated an intention to use purchase of JI and CDM to meet Kyoto targets in 2012. The level of these planned purchases as well as the state of advancement of these policies differs in each plan. In some cases, there are clear plans and substantiated programmes and funding for this, in others there is less clarity as to how firm the policy is, whether it has been budgeted for and from what sources.
	The Commission has stated in a letter to all 25 member states on 17 March 2004, that the plans will be assessed for any State Aid implications that allocations may imply, in particular the use of public funds to buy Kyoto credits.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to enable UK companies fully to utilise the Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism components of the Linking Directive.

Stephen Timms: The Government are committed to ensuring that UK industry has access to the cost effective reduction potential that the JI and CDM mechanisms offer. The UK Climate Change Programme assumes some of the reductions envisaged to meet the 2010 goals and beyond may be made via use of these mechanisms.
	In the context of the EU ETS, the linking amendment on the use of project credits from JI and CDM allows member states the discretion to consider whether or not such credits can be used for compliance against emissions covered by the EU ETS. The decision must be notified to the European Commission by June 2006. The Government are keen to allow the use of project credits from Phase One of the EU ETS and negotiated in favour of allowing early linking of the CDM from 2005. A final decision on how UK companies will be able to use such credits in the 2005–07 period of the EU ETS has not been made.

Fur Farms

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated value in sales was of the fur farming industry in the final year of production.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Figures on fur farming industry sales could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We estimate that profits were roughly £650,000 a year before production tailed off leading up to the ban.

Northern Cyprus (Trade)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value of (a) imports from and (b) exports to the Turkish Cypriot regime in Northern Cyprus was in the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: I am told that information on UK trade in goods is classified by HM Customs and Excise according to the "Geonomenclature of the European Communities". This geographic classification is an internationally agreed list of countries and territories against which figures for overseas trade are represented. It does not distinguish between Turkish Cyprus and Greek Cyprus and so the information requested is not available.

Nuclear Waste

Richard Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of nuclear waste held at approved storage centres in the United Kingdom is from the nuclear weapons programme.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Of the total combined high level and intermediate level nuclear wastes held at approved storage centres in the United Kingdom and identified in the 2001 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory, some 24 per cent. is attributable to the nuclear weapons programme. It is predicted that, by the year 2100, this figure will reduce to less than 14 per cent. Approximately 2.6 per cent. of the intermediate level waste is held at AWE Aldermaston and the remainder of the waste is held at British Nuclear Fuels and United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority sites.

Offshore Renewables

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between her Department and the offshore renewables industry in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: DTI Ministers and officials have had a large number of meetings on a range of issues with the offshore renewable energy industry over the past 12 months, including with representative organisations such as the British Wind Energy Association. We have also spoken at and attended various industry conferences.

Post Office Reinvention Programme

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she intends to take to ensure that most people in Birmingham will be within half a mile of a post office at the completion of the Post Office urban reinvention programme.

Stephen Timms: The commitment to ensure that at least 95 per cent. of the urban population nationally will still live within one mile of a post office at the end of the urban reinvention programme is an operational responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to respond direct to the hon. Member.

Post Office Reinvention Programme

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from Post Office Ltd. on the Post Office urban reinvention programme since 18 May; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: I can confirm that there have been contacts since 18 May between Post Office Ltd. and my officials about the company's urban reinvention programme.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Advisers/Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on external consultants and advisers in each of the last three years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The available information held by the Home Office on the cost of using external consultants in each of the financial years; 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–2001 27,877,286 
			 2001–2002 21,147,058 
			 2002–2003 N/a 
		
	
	The increase in expenditure on external consultancy in 2000–01 was primarily, due to costs incurred on the Home Office modernisation programme, in particular Information Technology (IT) related consultancy.
	The high spend figures for 2001–02 includes the cost ofsetting up the National Probation Directorate and various consultancies on IT Business Change.
	We do not hold information on the cost to the Home Office of using external consultants for 2002–03 and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	The use of external consultants has helped the Department to successfully deliver projects across the office, which has resulted in improved business processes. A further benefit has been the transfer of specialist skills and knowledge to staff.

Asylum and Immigration

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum decisions on average over the last five years were initially rejected and subsequently accepted on appeal; and what percentage of these appeals were accepted on (a) first, (b) second and (c) subsequent appeal.

Des Browne: The information requested is not available on average over the last five years, and could be produced only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case files.
	However, a cohort analysis up to and including appeals at the IAA was carried out for asylum applications made in 2002. It is estimated that around four in ten (42 per cent.) of applications in 2002 resulted in the granting of asylum (10 1 per cent.) or of exceptional leave to remain (23 1 per cent.) or in appeals which were allowed by the IAA adjudicators (a further 10 per cent).
	Based on cases where data are available, it is estimated that 77 per cent. of initial refusals of applications made in 2002 resulted in an appeal (i.e. 54 per cent. of applications in 2002 resulted in appeals), and that 10 per cent. of applications made in 2002 resulted in appeals allowed at the IAA.
	Asylum cases are determined according to their individual merits. The rates of refusal at initial decision and at appeal change over time reflecting a variety of factors including the changing mix of applicant nationalities, and changing situations in source countries. Over the last five years the vast majority of appeals have been dismissed, at the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) and at the Immigration Appeal Tribunal (IAT).
	Applications for leave to appeal to the IAT may be brought either by appellants or by the Secretary of State. The majority of applications for leave to appeal to the IAT are dismissed.
	The latest available data on initial decisions and appeal outcomes and Judicial Reviews is given in the tables.
	1 Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	
		Initial decisions on applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom(18) excluding dependants: 1999–2003
		
			   Cases considered under normal procedures(20) 
			  Initial decisions(19) Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave to remain Granted humanitarian protection 
			   Percentage(21)  Percentage(21)  Percentage(21)  Percentage(21) 
		
		
			 1999 33,720 (100) 7,815 (36) 2,465 (12) n/a — 
			 2000 109,205 (100) 10,375 (11) 11,495 (12) n/a — 
			 2001(23) 120,950 (100) 11,450 (9) 20,190 (17) n/a — 
			 2002(24) 83,540 (100) 8,270 (10) 20,135 (24) n/a — 
			 2003(24) 64,605 (100) 3,880 (6) 3,970 (6) 135 (0) 
		
	
	
		
			  Cases considered under normal procedures(20) Backlog clearance exercise(21) 
			  Granted discretionary leave Refused Granted asylum or exceptional leave to remain under backlog criteria1 Refused under backlog criteria(22) 
			   Percentage(21)  Percentage(21)  Percentage(21)  Percentage(21) 
		
		
			 1999 n/a — 11,025 (52) 11,140 (90) 1,275 (10) 
			 2000 n/a — 75,680 (78) 10,325 ('89) 1,335 (11) 
			 2001(23) n/a — 89,310 (74) — — — — 
			 2002(24) n/a — 55,130 (66) — — — — 
			 2003(24) 3,105 (5) 53,510 (83) — — — — 
		
	
	(18) Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
	(19) Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
	(20) Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.
	(21) Percentages for cases considered under normal procedures and those within the backlog clearance exercise are calculated separately.
	(22) Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
	(23) Revised figures.
	(24) Provisional figures
	n/a=Not applicable.
	
		Asylum appeals determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants: 1999 to 2003 1 -- Number of principal appellants
		
			   Allowed 3 Dismissed 3 Withdrawn(27) 
			  Total determined 2 Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined 
		
		
			 1999 19,460 5,280 27 11,135 57 3,050 16 
			 2000 19,395 3,340 17 15,580 80 475 2 
			 2001 43,415 8,155 19 34,440 79 825 2 
			 2002 64,405 13,875 22 48,845 76 1,685 3 
			 2003 81,725 16,070 20 63,810 78 1,845 2 
		
	
	(25) Figures, other than percentages, rounded to the nearest 5. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.
	(26) Based on information supplied by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Determinations do not necessarily relate to appeals received in the same period. Appeals determined by the IAA may relate to initial decisions made in previous years.
	(27) Based on data supplied from the Presenting Officers Unit within the Home Office.
	Data for 2002 and 2003 are provisional.
	
		Further appeals to the Tribunal, decisions, and the outcome of Tribunal hearings, excluding dependants: 1999 to 2002 1 -- Number of principal appellants
		
			  Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal 2 Appeals to the Tribunal 2 
			  Applications Decisions Received Determined 
		
		
			 1999 8,635 9,575 2,135 1,790 
			 2000 6,020 5,490 1,615 2,635 
			 2001 15,540 13,540 3,860 3,190 
			 2002(31) 25,600 22,825 6,920 5,565 
		
	
	
		Outcome of Tribunal Hearings(30)
		
			  Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration 
		
		
			 1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2000 815 1,385 220 215 
			 2001 475 1,140 150 1,430 
			 2002(31) 620 2,015 225 2,700 
		
	
	
		Outcome of Tribunal Hearings(30) -- Number of principal appellants
		
			  Appellant Secretary of State 
			  Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 
		
		
			 1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2000 650 1,225 185 170 165 35 
			 2001 315 1,020 125 160 120 25 
			 2002(31) 410 1,880 210 215 130 15 
		
	
	(28) Figures rounded to the nearest 5. Numbers might not add up due to rounding.
	(29) Figures based on data supplied by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals received in any given year. Appeals determined by the I AT may relate to cases determined at the IAA made in previous years
	(30) Figures supplied by the Presenting Officers Unit. Figures for October-December 1999 are based on data for November-December.
	(31) Provisional figures.
	
		Applications for Judicial Review, and outcomes, excluding dependants, 1999 to 2002
		
			  Applications for leave to move for judicial review(32) 
			  Applications Decisions(33) Of which granted leave to move Percentage of applicants granted leave to move(34) 
		
		
			 19996,7 Q1, Q2 and Q4 1,790 1,125 395 (35) 
			 2000(37) 1,920 2,095 555 (26) 
			 2001(37) 2,210 2,300 290 (13) 
			 2002(39) 3,075 2,980 260 (9) 
		
	
	
		The outcome of judicial review hearings
		
			  Allowed 4 Dismissed 5 Withdrawn 
			  Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined 
		
		
			 19996,7 Q1,Q2 and Q4 135 (57) 25 (11) 75 (32) 
			 2000(37) 365 (48) 300 (40) 95 (12) 
			 2001(37) 260 (68) 60 (16) 60 (16) 
			 2002(39) 25 (30) 60 (67) 5 (3) 
		
	
	(32) Figures based on administrative court data. Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest 5
	(33) Decisions do not relate to applications in any given period.
	(34) The number of which granted leave to move as a percentage of decisions.
	(35) Figures exclude judicial reviews brought in cases relating to asylum support (NASS).
	(36) Estimated figures.
	(37) The decision of the respondent (in this case, the Home Office or the Department for Constitutional Affairs) was quashed. These figures include consent orders where the JR was conceded by the respondent.
	(38) The decision of the respondent was upheld.
	(39) Provisional figures.
	Figures on asylum initial decision and appeals outcomes are published in the annual Home Office statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, and in the quarterly asylum statistics web pages. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum and Immigration

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many potential immigrants were refused admission to the UK following advice from medical inspectors on a Port Form 104 for each of the last five years at (a) Heathrow and (b) other United Kingdom ports; and how many other immigrants were refused entry in each of those five years.

Des Browne: Information on the number of people refused leave to enter the UK following advice given on a port form 104 is not collated centrally.
	Information on the number of passengers refused entry in each of the last five years is detailed as follows. The table contains data on the total number of passengers (including those removed on medical grounds) refused entry and removed for all ports 1998–02. Information on a particular port of entry is not available except at disproportionate cost.
	Below is an extract from information published in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2002" (Cm6053), obtainable from the House Library, The Stationery Office and via the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hobpubs1.html
	
		Passenger refused entry at port and subsequently removed 1, 1998 to 2002 -- United Kingdom
		
			  Total (units) 
		
		
			 1998 27,605 
			 1999 31,295 
			 2000 38,275 
			 2001 37,865 
			 2002 50,360 
		
	
	(40) Not necessarily in the same year as arrival.

Asylum and Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers were refused entry at port and subsequently removed in each year since 1992, broken down by ports of entry; and to what he attributes the fall between 2002 and 2003 indicated in the rounded figures released on 4 April.

Des Browne: Information on the number of people who were refused leave to enter at port and were subsequently removed in each year from 1992 to 2002 is shown in the table.
	
		Persons refused entry at port and subsequently removed: 1992 to 2002 1,2,3 -- Number of persons
		
			  Total 
		
		
			 1992 14,950 
			 1993 16,740 
			 1994 17,220 
			 1995 19,150 
			 1996 21,200 
			 1997 24,535 
			 1998 27,605 
			 1999 31,295 
			 2000 38,275 
			 2001 37,865 
			 2002(44) 50,360 
		
	
	(41) Figures up to March 2001 may include a small number of dependants of port asylum applicants.
	(42) Not necessarily in the same year as arrival.
	(43) Figures are rounded to nearest five.
	(44) Provisional figures.
	Information on the port of entry of these individuals is not available except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.
	The information released on 6 April was management information. Although no in-depth analysis has yet been conducted on the apparent fall in the numbers of passengers refused and removed, early indications are that the decrease may have been a result of the overall deterrent effect of our strategies, in particular, the imposition of visa regimes for Zimbabwean and Jamaican nationals; Direct Airside Transit Visas; and the expansion of the Airline Liaison Officer network.
	Official statistics on the number of people removed from the UK in 2003, including those people who were removed after being refused leave to enter will be available later this year in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2003" on the Home Office web-site www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

CCTV

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions have arisen from the use of CCTV in (a) South Road, Waterloo and (b) Crosby in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Information on the number of convictions arising from the use of CCTV surveillance is not recorded. The statistics held centrally on court proceedings do not include information on methods of detection.

CCTV

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to extend CCTV schemes in the London borough of Wandsworth.

Hazel Blears: The London borough of Wandsworth has received £13,000 from the Building Safer Communities Fund and £10,000 from the Basic Command Unit Fund to support the work of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership initiative on dealing with night time disorder in town centres.
	The money will provide extra staff hours for the surveillance of CCTV town centre cameras in disorder hotspots on Friday and Saturday evenings. This initiative has been successful in monitoring the build up of disorder and in directing resources to potential problems.

Correspondence

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central of (a) 27 January regarding Mrs. FAW, reference A1065094, (b) 19 January regarding Mrs. KS, reference PO983/4 and S1037919/3, (c) 19 January regarding Miss YN, reference PO951/4 and N1064754 and (d) 2 February regarding Mr. AKN, reference A1087763.

Des Browne: holding answer 24 May 2004
	The information is as follows.
	(a) A reply to the letter of 27 January was sent by an Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) Senior Director on 4 March. IND wrote to my hon. friend on 21 May to confirm that the necessary action had been taken.
	(b) I wrote to my hon. friend on 16 June.
	(c) I replied to my hon. friend on 20 May.
	(d) IND wrote to my hon. friend on 18 May.

Crime Statistics (London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug-related offences were recorded in Greater London in each of the last 10 years; and how many successful prosecutions were brought in each year, broken down by type of drug involved.

Hazel Blears: Information on drug related offences is not collected centrally for recorded crime. The available information relates to recorded drug offences. Information for the Metropolitan Police District is given in the following table.
	
		Table 1: Recorded drug offences in the Metropolitan Police District
		
			  Number of offences 
		
		
			 1994(45) 2,574 
			 1995(45) 3,243 
			 1996(45) 3,704 
			 1997(45) 4,695 
			 1997–981,2 4,849 
			 1998–99(47) 32,152 
			 1999–2000 26,233 
			 2000–01 23,626 
			 2001–02 26,204 
			 2002–03(48) 33,311 
		
	
	(45) Relates only to trafficking in controlled drugs.
	(46) Financial year data from 1997–98 onwards.
	(47) Coverage was expanded to include offences of drug possession and other drug offences.
	(48) The number of offences recorded will be influenced by the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard on 1 April 2002.
	The number of offenders found guilty of certain drug offences is given in Table 2. These figures are not directly comparable with those for recorded crime.
	
		Table 2: Offenders found guilty of certain drug offencesNumber of offenders found guilty(49) of certain drug offences at magistrates courts in Greater London(50) including those found guilty at the Crown court where the committing court was based in Greater London, 1993 to 2002
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Possession of:  
			 Class A drug 1,111 1,406 1,352 1,413 1,503 2,046 2,505 2,355 2,425 2,367 
			 Class B drug 2,680 4,122 3,428 3,391 4,184 5,499 5,218 4,758 4,283 5,844 
			 Class C drug 1 4 1 4 13 11 11 8 5 9 
			
			 Dealing(51):  
			 Class A drug 484 556 718 705 676 924 984 1,021 1,446 1,364 
			 Class B drug 577 786 900 860 923 946 798 530 585 693 
			 Class C drug 6 7 6 11 10 11 4 4 4 6 
			
			 Other drug offences(52):  
			 Class A drug 3 1 6 7 5 8 8 3 4 5 
			 Class B drug 10 14 17 16 30 17 14 6 8 14 
			 Class C drug 2 — 1 — — — — — — 1 
		
	
	(49) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(50) Covers Metropolitan Police and City of London Police Force Area.
	(51) Includes offences of: Unlawful importation and exportation, production of or being concerned in the production of a controlled drug, supplying or offering to supply (or being concerned in supplying or offering to supply) a controlled drug, having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
	(52) Includes offences: Permitting premises to be used for unlawful purposes, person has a controlled drug in his possession on a ship, person is knowingly concerned in the carrying or concealing of a controlled drug on a ship.

Dedicated Security Posts Scheme

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been provided by central Government for the Dedicated Security Posts Scheme in each year since its inception.

Hazel Blears: Grant support for policing generally, including security arrangements common to all police authorities, is allocated using the police grant funding formula. In addition, one particular component of the formula supports additional security costs that vary between police authorities. Provision is allocated between police authorities in line with professional assessment of relative security pressures.
	The component for additional security pressures has been included as part of the police funding formula since its inception in 1995–96. It represented 1.8 per cent. of total formula provision in 1998–99, increasing to 2 per cent. from 1999–2000 to 2002–03. Following wider formula changes in 2002, the proportion has been 2.3 per cent. since 2003–04. The provision is an integral part of the overall calculation on which general police grants for each authority are based.
	The available figures included in the funding formula for additional security pressures are set out in the table.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 121.4 
			 1999–2000 142.5 
			 2000–01 146.8 
			 2001–02 154.5 
			 2002–03 155.3 
			 2003–04 196.5 
			 2004–05 203.4

Domestic Violence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given in the last 12 months to Crime and Disorder Partnerships on improving good practice in reducing domestic violence.

Hazel Blears: A domestic violence 'mini-site'—has been set up within the Government's Crime Reduction website. This is designed to be an information resource for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and local domestic violence coordinators. On this site, we are piloting a 'Web Helpdesk' allowing practitioners to seek information or guidance on any aspect of domestic violence work.
	In addition, the Home Office Development and Practice Report 30, "Safety and justice: sharing personal information in the context of domestic violence—an overview", was published at the National Victims Conference on 28 April 2004. The Information Sharing guide and the 'Virtual Helpdesk' can be found in the domestic violence mini-site http://www.crimereduction. gov.uk/dv01.htm.

Fixed-penalty Notices

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a Merseyside local authority officer, community support officer or person accredited by the chief constable has issued a fixed penalty notice for minor graffiti and fly-posting offences since the inception of this power.

Hazel Blears: The power to issue fixed penalty notices for minor graffiti and fly posting under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 was commenced on 31 March this year. To date this power has not been used on Merseyside by anyone from the categories mentioned.

Honours

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much time his Department spent dealing with honours in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by civil service grade.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office Honours Section provides advice and support to the Home Secretary, Permanent Secretary and Home Office stakeholders on all issues relating to the application of the UK honours system. To this end, it co-ordinates nominations for the new year and birthday honours lists, departmental nominations for the yearly round of royal garden parties and for other ad-hoc events.
	The Home Office honours team comprises two full-time staff: one higher executive officer; and one administrative officer.
	During the period April 2003 to March 2004 a total of six hours was spent formally discussing honours nominations. These discussions involved three permanent secretaries; three directors (senior civil service) and the honours secretary (higher executive officer).
	The majority of the work on honours is undertaken by the departmental honours team. Information is not available on time spent on honours related work by departmental staff who are not members of the Department's honours team.

Leave to Remain

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees and people granted exceptional leave to remain have been granted settlement since 1979, broken down by nationality.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 June 2004
	The latest available data relating to the number of refugees and people granted exceptional leave to remain, that have been granted settlement are shown in the table.
	To provide data for the entire period requested would incur disproportionate cost.
	Historical data on immigration control can be found in the Command Papers "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom", copies of which are available from the Library of the House.
	
		Grants of settlement, recognised refugees and people granted exceptional leave to remain, by nationality, 1992 to 2002 -- United Kingdom
		
			 Geographical region and nationality 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 1 2001 1 2002 
		
		
			 All nationalities (excluding EEA) 1,780 3,990 3,290 1,600 4,190 4,830 6,680 22,500 25,355 17,965 18,235 
			 Europe
			 Bulgaria 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— (56)— 50 10 5 5 
			 Cyprus 0 0 0 (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— 70 65 20 10 
			 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— (56)— 15 30 25 
			 Estonia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 (56)— 0 (56)— (56)— 
			 Hungary (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— (56)— (56)— 5 0 (56)— 
			 Latvia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 (56)— 0 5 5 
			 Lithuania n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— 20 15 10 5 
			 Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— 0 (56)— 0 
			 Poland 10 20 10 10 10 10 (56)— 10 25 30 25 
			 Romania (56)— 10 (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— 30 40 30 15 15 
			 Russia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— 30 180 85 35 30 
			 Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— (56)— 10 10 10 
			 Switzerland n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— 0 
			 Turkey (56)— 240 410 80 820 1,080 510 1,790 1,485 715 725 
			 Ukraine n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— 20 15 15 10 
			 Other former USSR n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (56)— 30 45 40 55 
			 Former Czechoslovakia (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Former USSR (56)— (56)— 10 20 (56)— (56)— n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Former Yugoslavia 0 0 (56)— 0 (56)— 20 660 4,970 1,955 2,400 1,260 
			 Of which:
			 Croatia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 40 120 255 310 90 
			 Serbia and Montenegro(54) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 450 4,590 1,175 1,390 710 
			 Slovenia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 (56)— 0 0 0 
			 Other former Yugoslavia(55) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 170 260 525 740 460 
			 Other Europe n/a 0 0 0 0 0 20 70 45 85 35 
			 Europe 30 280 450 120 890 1,130 1,280 7,240 3,815 3,460 2,230 
			 Americas
			 Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— (56)— 5 (56)— 
			 Barbados 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Brazil 0 (56)— (56)— 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— 10 (56)— (56)— (56)— 
			 Canada 0 0 0 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 5 5 5 
			 Chile (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 0 5 5 5 
			 Colombia (56)— 20 20 20 10 10 70 170 190 210 170 
			 Guyana 0 0 (56)— 0 0 0 (56)— 10 (56)— 0 0 
			 Jamaica 0 (56)— 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 5 5 10 
			 Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— 0 
			 Peru 0 (56)— 10 (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 30 20 15 5 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— (56)— 0 
			 USA (56)— (56)— 0 0 (56)— (56)— (56)— 10 20 5 10 
			 Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0 (56)— (56)— 5 0 (56)— 
			 Other Americas n/a 0 (56)— 0 (56)— 10 60 50 50 50 30 
			 Americas (56)— 30 40 20 30 40 140 290 310 300 240 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(53) Revised data
	(54) Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
	(55) Includes Bosnia and Macedonia
	(56) 1 or 2
	Note:
	Data rounded, as such they may not sum to the totals shown.
	
		Grants of settlement, recognised refugees and people granted exceptional leave to remain, by nationality, 1992 to 2002 -- United Kingdom
		
			 Geographical region and nationality 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 1 2001 1 2002 
		
		
			 Africa
			 Algeria n/a n/a n/a n/a (59)— 10 310 590 240 140 125 
			 Angola 0 0 10 10 10 20 50 230 120 125 250 
			 Congo (Dem. Rep.)(58) 0 0 30 40 30 20 50 1,030 315 390 480 
			 Egypt n/a (59)— n/a n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— 30 35 5 15 
			 Ethiopia 80 390 240 70 40 60 80 1,520 1,915 260 200 
			 Ghana 80 80 60 40 110 50 70 1,290 110 35 55 
			 Kenya (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 20 70 145 85 70 
			 Libya 10 (59)— 10 10 10 10 20 40 70 65 70 
			 Mauritius n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a (59)— n/a 10 5 (59)— (59)— 
			 Morocco n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— 5 
			 Nigeria (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— 50 190 105 65 100 
			 Sierra Leone n/a n/a (59)— n/a (59)— (59)— 10 320 135 125 100 
			 Somalia 160 790 720 220 220 290 1,340 1,420 7,015 4,690 5,485 
			 South Africa 20 40 20 (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 15 10 10 
			 Sudan 10 40 30 (59)— 80 800 140 190 660 190 160 
			 Tanzania n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— n/a 20 30 35 20 15 
			 Tunisia (59)— n/a (59)— n/a (59)— (59)— 10 30 15 20 5 
			 Uganda 30 80 50 160 490 320 190 720 1,500 210 210 
			 Zambia n/a n/a (59)— n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— n/a 10 (59)— 10 
			 Zimbabwe (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— 20 45 135 1,875 
			 Other Africa 0 0 50 10 50 30 170 500 595 755 945 
			 Africa 390 1,450 1,280 590 1,080 1,650 2,550 8,230 13,100 7,330 10,185 
			 Asia
			 Indian sub-continent 
			 Bangladesh n/a n/a n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 80 25 15 15 
			 India (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— 10 50 170 300 205 50 50 
			 Pakistan (59)— (59)— 10 10 80 40 120 390 340 270 285 
			 Indian sub-continent (59)— 10 20 10 100 110 290 770 575 335 350 
			 Middle East
			 Iran 190 250 240 230 550 270 200 640 725 655 710 
			 Iraq 80 110 120 50 380 480 630 1,080 1,340 950 1,095 
			 Israel n/a (59)— n/a n/a n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— (59)— 
			 Jordan n/a n/a n/a (59)— (59)— 10 (59)— 30 45 5 5 
			 Kuwait n/a n/a n/a (59)— n/a (59)— 10 10 15 5 20 
			 Lebanon 20 60 60 60 230 230 190 340 395 45 110 
			 Saudi Arabia n/a (59)— n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 10 5 n/a 
			 Syria (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— (59)— 30 40 30 25 
			 Yemen 0 0 (59)— n/a (59)— (59)— (59)— 20 25 35 25 
			 Other Middle East 0 0 (59)— (59)— (59)— 20 30 40 60 20 35 
			 Middle East 300 420 440 360 1,170 1,020 1,070 2,200 2,660 1,750 2,025 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(57) Revised data
	(58) The Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire
	(59) 1 or 2
	Note:
	Data rounded, as such they may not sum to the totals shown.
	
		Grants of settlement, recognised refugees and people granted exceptional leave to remain, by nationality, 1992 to 2002 -- United Kingdom
		
			 Geographical region and nationality 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 1 2001 1 2002 
		
		
			 Remainder of Asia 
			 China (61)— 10 30 40 70 150 260 310 110 45 55 
			 Hong Kong 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 (61)— (61)— 10 5 (61)— 5 
			 Indonesia 0 0 0 0 (61)— 0 0 0 0 (61)— 0 
			 Japan 0 0 (61)— 0 0 (61)— 0 0 5 5 5 
			 Malaysia 0 (61)— 10 (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— 10 10 5 (61)— 
			 Philippines 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 (61)— 10 5 (61)— 5 
			 Singapore 0 n/a (61)— 0 (61)— (61)— 0 (61)— 5 (61)— 5 
			 South Korea 0 0 0 0 (61)— 0 0 (61)— 5 (61)— (61)— 
			 Sri Lanka 230 770 490 170 580 450 800 2,840 3,930 2,285 865 
			 Taiwan n/a n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— 
			 Thailand 0 0 0 0 0 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— 5 (61)— 
			 Other Asia n/a n/a 30 30 50 70 100 230 410 2,295 2,205 
			 Remainder of Asia 230 800 570 250 710 680 1,170 3,410 4,490 4,650 3,150 
			 Total Asia 530 1,220 1,030 630 1,980 1,810 2,530 6,390 7,725 6,735 5,520 
			 Oceania
			 Australia (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 0 (61)— 0 (61)— 10 (61)— 5 
			 New Zealand 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 0 (61)— (61)— 5 (61)— (61)— 
			 Other Oceania n/a n/a 0 0 0 0 (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 
			 Oceania (61)— (61)— (61)— (61)— 0 (61)— (61)— 10 15 5 10 
			 British Overseas 
			 Citizens (61)— 20 20 (61)— (61)— 10 20 10 20 10 15 
			 Stateless 790 830 560 240 220 190 160 330 370 125 35 
			 All nationalities (excluding EEA) 1,780 3,990 3,290 1,600 4,190 4,830 6,680 22,500 25,355 17,965 18,235 
		
	
	n/a=not applicable
	(60) Revised data
	(61) 1 or 2
	Note:
	Data rounded, as such they may not sum to the totals shown.

Neighbourhood Watch

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on discussions he has held with the National Neighbourhood Watch Association regarding the Neighbourhood Watch logo.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 June 2004
	Earlier this year the Home Office began receiving complaints from local schemes and one police force that the National Neighbourhood Watch Association (NNWA) had registered the logos as trademarks. This was done without consulting or obtaining agreement from the Police, the Home Office, local authorities or Neighbourhood Watch generally.
	The Neighbourhood Watch logos are Crown copyright. We are taking steps to resolve the situation with NNWA and to restore ownership and control of the Neighbourhood Watch trademarks to the Home Office. Our aim is to protect the rights of local and regional schemes to continue to use the logos. Discussions are still under way to resolve the situation.

Police (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of Metropolitan police officers per 100,000 of population is within the Greater London area.

Hazel Blears: At the end of December 2003 (the latest date available) the Metropolitan police had 412 police officers to 100,000 of the population. The average for England and Wales is 259 officers to 100,000 population.

Security Industry Authority

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether, during the security firm authorisation pilot in Hampshire, security personnel employed by firms from outside Hampshire will be able to work without authorisation;
	(2)  what representations he has received about postponing the security firm authorisation pilot in Hampshire;
	(3)  how many applications from security companies in Hampshire wishing to participate in the Security Industries Agency have been (a) received and (b) authorised; and what the average period of time between receipt and authorisation has been;
	(4)  what discussions he has had with the Security Industry Authority about the outcome of the pilot project in Hampshire;
	(5)  what representations he has received about the preparedness of the Security Industry Authority to license security personnel.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 9 June 2004
	On 4 June it became a requirement for any door supervisor working in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including any employed by a company outside those areas, to possess a licence issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
	It was announced on 11 November 2003 that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight would be the initial pilot area for the SIA's licensing arrangements, which are to be rolled out across the whole of England and Wales by April 2005. At the same time, it was made clear that applications in the pilot area could be made from 1 March 2004 and that the legal requirement to hold a licence would come into force from 4 June. The SIA has since undertaken considerable consultation with stakeholders, local authorities and the police, and has carried out a wide-ranging publicity campaign. A small number of representations were received from pub and club owners requesting an extension of the 4 June deadline. We have kept in close touch with the SIA throughout the pilot scheme and have received regular updates on progress, and we concluded that the 4 June deadline should stand.
	The responsibility to apply for an SIA licence rests with the individual. As at 4 June, 722 applications had been received from within the pilot area and 193 licences had been granted. The great majority of applications are being processed within the SIA's published target time of four to six weeks.
	Some representations have been received about the SIA's state of preparedness, including from a small number of right hon. and hon. Members. The main concerns have related to training requirements and the availability of training providers, the cost and affordability of the SIA licence, and the possibility that inability to meet the 4 June deadline might lead to the closure of businesses and loss of jobs. We have made it clear that all of the necessary procedures and arrangements are in place and that sufficient training capacity has been available for some time.

Special Constables

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have applied for approval to introduce an allowance for special constables under the Special Constables (Amendment) Regulations 2002; and which ones he has (a) approved and (b) refused.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 June 2004
	Allowance schemes for special constables have been approved in Cumbria (Workington), West Midlands (H2 Operational Command Unit), Humberside (force wide) and Thames Valley (Thames Forest area). No applications have been refused.

Spray Paint Sales

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a person has received a level 4 fine for selling spray paints to someone under the age of 16 years on Merseyside since the inception of this power.

Hazel Blears: No fines for this offence have been handed down by Merseyside courts yet. We are in discussion with relevant stakeholders as to what further measures might be necessary to ensure the effective enforcement of these provisions.

Stowaways

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stowaways were detected at border controls in mainland Europe in (a) vehicles and (b) cargo bound for the UK in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The Government does not hold figures on the number of clandestines or stowaways detected at border controls in mainland Europe en route to the UK.
	We do work closely with EU member states, Accession States, the Near Neighbours and countries in wider Europe on a wide range of migration issues, including measures aimed at strengthening borders within Europe.
	Although we do not hold figures on the number of clandestines or stowaways detected at border controls in mainland Europe en route to the UK locally collated management information indicates that; enhanced juxtaposed controls, deployment of new detection technology and close co-operation with our EU counterparts, port authorities and carriers prevented more than 9,000 people crossing the channel illegally from Calais and Coquelles to the United Kingdom during 2003.

UK Settlement

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers were given leave to enter the United Kingdom in each year since 1979 (a) as visitors, (b) as people returning after a temporary absence abroad, (c) as passengers in transit, (d) as students, (e) as work permit holders and their dependants, (f) as working holidaymakers, (g) as a spouse or fiance, (h) as au pairs, (i) on the basis of UK ancestry, (j) on the basis of acceptance for settlement on arrival, (k) for other reasons and (l) in total.

Des Browne: holding answer 8 June 2004
	The latest available data relating to the number of passengers admitted to the United Kingdom by the requested categories are given in the table. The data relate to the number of journeys made.
	To provide data for the entire period would incur disproportionate cost.
	Detailed statistics on immigration control are published in the Command Paper Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom obtainable from the Library of the House, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/commandpubs1.html. The latest edition is that for 2002 (Cm6053).
	
		Passengers given leave to enter the United Kingdom by purpose of journey, excluding EEA nationals, 1993 to 2003 -- United KingdomNumber of journeys
		
			  Passengers admitted by purpose of journey 
			  Total admitted Visitors Students Au pairs 
		
		
			 1993 9,840,000 7,080,000 238,000 12,700 
			 1994 9,180,000 6,570,000 249,000 9,400 
			 1995 9,620,000 6,800,000 285,000 11,700 
			 1996 10,300,000 7,350,000 298,000 13,400 
			 1997 10,900,000 7,760,000 278,000 15,300 
			 1998 11,500,000 8,040,000 266,000 15,900 
			 1999 12,000,000 8,370,000 272,000 14,600 
			 2000 13,000,000 8,930,000 313,000 12,900 
			 2001 12,800,000 8,170,000 339,000 12,000 
			 2002 12,600,000 7,850,000 369,000 12,800 
			 2003(62) 12,200,000 7,580,000 319,000 15,300 
		
	
	
		
			  Passengers admitted by purpose of journey 
			  Work permit holders and their dependants Working holiday-makers Admitted as a spouse or fianc(e) Passengers in transit 
		
		
			 1993 48,000 21,600 19,200 936,000 
			 1994 47,500 31,600 18,800 852,000 
			 1995 52,100 36,000 19,100 948,000 
			 1996 58,200 33,000 20,900 1,000,000 
			 1997 63,000 33,300 26,400 1,090,000 
			 1998 68,400 40,800 32,200 1,150,000 
			 1999 76,200 45,800 30,300 1,170,000 
			 2000 92,000 38,400 33,000 1,270,000 
			 2001 109,000 35,800 29,100 1,310,000 
			 2002 120,000 41,700 30,300 1,300,000 
			 2003(62) 119,000 46,500 31,400 1,140,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Passengers admitted by purpose of journey 
			  Passengers returning after a temporary absence abroad UK ancestry Others given leave to enter(63) Granted settlement on arrival(64) 
		
		
			 1993 1,380,000 4,080 94,300 3,620 
			 1994 1,300,000 5,170 88,200 2,610 
			 1995 1,370,000 6,620 90,400 2,400 
			 1996 1,470,000 7,420 94,500 2,120 
			 1997 1,560,000 8,370 103,000 2,350 
			 1998 1,780,000 10,200 104,000 2,900 
			 1999 1,910,000 11,800 110,000 2,530 
			 2000 2,200,000 10,900 112,000 2,290 
			 2001 2,620,000 10,700 149,000 2,820 
			 2002 2,740,000 10,400 127,000 2,470 
			 2003(62) 2,800,000 9,150 178,000 2,600 
		
	
	(62) Provisional and subject to change.
	(63) Includes refugees, exceptional leave cases and their dependants, excluding such persons given temporary admission.
	(64) Excludes asylum-related cases given indefinite leave to enter; these are included in 'Others given leave to enter'.
	Note:
	Data rounded to three significant places, as such they may not sum to the totals shown.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal By-products

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the requirements upon retailers are for the intermediate handling and disposal of category 1 and category 3 animal by-products.

Ben Bradshaw: We would not expect retailers to produce category 1 animal by-products such are specified risk material. Full requirements for handling and disposal of all animal by-products are set out in Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002.
	The Regulation also sets out the standards that intermediate plants and processing or disposal operations must comply with and applies controls to the transport of animal by-products. These are listed in Annex III of the Regulation.
	Among the requirements for a category 3 intermediate plant, it must have its own entrance, exit, should be capable of being washed and disinfected, and should have its own dedicated staff. It also lists the hygiene considerations to prevent cross-contamination with food intended for human consumption.
	A guidance note on the requirements has been provided to the food industry which is available at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/Former Foodstuffs/guidance dispffs.pdf.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  in what circumstances shooting carried out under licence or other authority is a permitted means of killing badgers;
	(2)  pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2004, Official Report, column 381W, on badgers, what methods other than shooting are available for the culling of badgers.

Ben Bradshaw: Where killing is carried out under a licence issued by Defra, the techniqueemployed will depend on the particular circumstances of the individual case, but will normally involve cage trapping and humane dispatch by shooting.
	All wild animals are protected by Section 11(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, against the use of self locking snares, bows, crossbows, or any explosive other than ammunition for a firearm for the purpose of killing or taking.
	Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 details a list of species, including badgers, which are protected from further methods of killing or taking. Prohibited methods are detailed in Section 11(2) of the 1981 Act, and are any trap, net or snare, electrical devices, poisons, stupefying bait, automatic or semi-automatic weapon, any illuminating or sighting device for night shooting, any dazzling device, any gas or smoke, decoys, sound recording or, in immediate pursuit, mechanically propelled vehicles.
	It is an offence if any person uses a prohibited method against a Schedule 6 species without obtaining a licence from Defra. On conviction the maximum summary fine and sentence is a 5,000 fine and/or six-month custodial sentence.
	Section 2(1) of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 makes it an offence to use in the course of killing or taking a badger any badger tongs or any firearms other than a smooth-bore weapon of not less than 20 bore or a rifle using ammunition having a muzzle energy of not less than 160 foot-pounds and a bullet weighing not less than 38 grains, or cruelly ill-treat any badger.
	The latter would make it an offence to mis-use a permitted or authorised method of killing or taking a badger, in a way which would be cruel to the badger concerned.
	It is also an offence, except as permitted by the 1992 Act, to dig for a badger.
	Further details of the provisions of the Protection of badgers act can be found in my previous response to the hon. Member's earlier question answered on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1187W.
	On conviction, a person guilty of committing an offence under the 1992 Act is liable to a maximum summary fine of 5,000 fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence.

Cement and Lime Kilns

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) start and (b) end dates are for the consultation by the Environment Agency on proposals to revise the Substitute Fuels Protocol for use on cement and lime kilns.

Alun Michael: The Environment Agency's consultation on proposals to revise the Substitute Fuels Protocol started on 26 March 2004 and closes on 18 June 2004.

Cement and Lime Kilns

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those who have been sent the document in relation to the consultation to revise the Substitute Fuels Protocol for use on cement and lime kilns.

Alun Michael: The Environment Agency has made its consultation document on proposals to revise the Substitute Fuels Protocol available publicly on its website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/consultations/current consultations. In addition copies have been sent to the following organisations and individuals.
	Government Departments/Organisations
	Countryside Council for Wales
	Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
	Department of Health
	Department of Trade and Industry
	English Nature
	Environment and Heritage ServiceNorthern Ireland
	Food Standards Agency
	Health Protection Agency
	National Assembly for Wales
	National Public Health Service, Wales
	Rural Payments Agency
	Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
	Local Government Organisations
	Flintshire County Council
	High Peak Borough Council
	High Peak District Council
	Kennet District Council
	Langar cum Barnstone Parish Council
	Medway District Council
	Medway County Council
	North Lincolnshire Council
	North Wiltshire District Council
	Ribble Valley Borough Council
	Rugby Borough Council
	Sedgefield District Council
	South Cams District Council
	South Kesteven District Council
	Staffs Moorlands District Council
	Staffordshire County Council
	Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
	Vale of Glamorgan Council
	West Wiltshire District Council
	Other Organisations
	BIFFA Waste Services Ltd.
	Business Council for Sustainable Development UK
	British Cement Association
	British Lime Association
	Castle CementRibblesdale
	Cembureau
	Cleanaway Ltd.
	Chemical Recovery Association
	Countryside Commission
	Council Protection Rural EnglandNorthern Lincolnshire
	Environmental Services Association
	The Environmental Forum
	Flintshire Green Party and Phoenix Coalition
	Flintshire Local Health Board
	Friends of the Earth
	Friends of the Earth Cymru
	Greenetwork
	Green Audit
	High Peak and Dales Primary Care Trust
	Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Primary Care Trust
	Kent Local Health Protection Unit
	LafargeCauldron Cement Works
	LafargeHolborough Cement Works
	LCC Energy
	Melton, Rutland and Harborough Primary Care Trust
	North Derbyshire Health Authority
	North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee
	Northumbrian Water Ltd.
	Oil Recycling Association
	Onyx (UK) Ltd.
	Peak District National Park Authority
	PDM Group
	Rugby in Plume
	Rugby Primary Care Trust
	Sapphire Energy Recovery
	Shanks Group plc
	Shropshire  Staffs Health Protection Team
	Solvent Resource Management Ltd.
	SITA
	Together Creating Communities/Trefnu Cymunedol Cymru
	The United Kingdom Renderers Association
	United Utilities
	Vale Local Health Board
	Women's Environmental Network
	Wyvern Waste Services
	Individuals
	Rt Hon M. Ancram QC
	Norman Baker, MP
	J. Behrenroth
	Mr. G. Brewer
	Chris DaviesMEP
	Mr. D. Darlington
	Mr. S. Eades
	Mrs. Lynda England
	Cllr R. Hampson
	Edward Hatala
	Dr. Vyvyan Howard
	Cllr Jones
	Mr. D. Levy
	Dr. D. H. Lohmann
	Mr. A. Mack
	Dr. A. Murrison MP
	Mrs. L. Pallikaropoulos
	Mr. J. Smith MP
	Dr. Andrew Tubb
	Mr.  Mrs. D. M. Waller
	Dr. G. W. Waterhouse
	Cllr G. Williams
	Cllr A. Woolley

British Waterways Board

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the British Waterways Board acquired a shareholding in Easynet plc; for what reasons; and what the size of the shareholding is.

Alun Michael: Prior to 2000, British Waterways and GEC, each invested 147,000 into a joint venture (Fibreway), which laid fibre optic cables under many of British Waterways' towpaths and sold capacity to telecoms operators. In May 2000, GEC decided to concentrate its future activity on telecoms business, under the Marconi name and wanted to invest 200300 million in expanding Fibreway. Fibreway was therefore restructured, and British Waterways received an annual payment and a 10 per cent. equity share in the new Fibreway business ipsaris.
	In June 2001 ipsaris effectively split its business into two components. The mast site business was transferred to Ultramast and the fibre optic business was listed by way of a reverse takeover of Easynet. Marconi sold 92 per cent. of its share in ipsaris to Easynet in return for 77.5 million shares in the enlarged group. The deal meant that British Waterways received a 2.6 per cent. share of Easynet and a stake in the Ultramast business.
	The fibre optic business has continued successfully as part of the Easynet portfolio and British Waterways Board now owns approximately 2 million shares in the business (1.8 per cent.). This is valued at around 2.1 million today, compared with the initial outlay of 147,500. Easynet also continues to pay an annual sum to British Waterways for the use of the wayleave.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why she has set stricter carbon dioxide reduction targets for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme than other member states.

Elliot Morley: The UK has not set stricter carbon reduction targets for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme than other member states. Most of the plans submitted to the Commission from other member states require greater emissions cuts from their industries than in the UK.
	The UK is a leader in tackling climate change and has already reduced emissions of greenhouse gases to below its target under the Kyoto Protocol. However, many other member states have some way to meet their Kyoto obligations. The UK is pressing the Commission to ensure that a robust analysis of plans is carried out, and that member states are encouraged to use the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to help them meet their Kyoto targets.

GM Crops

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statistically valid and peer-reviewed studies her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the safety of feeding Chardon LL fodder maize to ruminants.

Elliot Morley: No studies on the safety of feeding Chardon LL, a variety of maize containing the GM event known as T25, to ruminants have been commissioned by Defra, nor has the Department evaluated any such studies. T25 maize was assessed and approved for use as any other maize by member states under Part C of directive 90/220 in 1998. Both the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and the Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs were satisfied, on the basis of the data submitted, that the T25 maize grain and its products pose no more risk as animal feed than non-GM maize varieties.
	I understand that Bayer CropScience commissioned a study which examined the effect of feeding Chardon LL forage maize to dairy cattle and that the results are being considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The results will be passed to ACRE and ACAF in due course.

Orchards

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the rotational period is of (a) traditional English apple orchards and (b) modern commercial apple orchards.

Alun Michael: A grower's decision on when to replace an orchard will depend on many factors. Traditional orchards are typically aged 30 years or more but most commercial orchards are replaced after about 15 years as their productivity declines.

Orchards

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about the (a) apple growing and (b) cider industry under the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Alun Michael: Many of the apples supplied to the cider industry are delivered under contract from orchards which have been planted for the purpose. We understand that a number of existing contracts are due to expire in the next two or three years and are unlikely to be renewed. Some top fruit growers who do not expect to have a market for their produce may choose to grub up their orchards to qualify for the new Single Payment, rather than retain them to the end of their productive life. This is a commercial decision for the growers concerned.

Radioactive Waste

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish her Department's annual report on progress made in implementing the programme set out in the White Paper on managing radioactive waste safely.

Elliot Morley: A copy of the 2003 Managing Radioactive Waste Safety progress report to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is available under the Environment heading of the Committee's website (www. parliament.uk/parliamentary committees/environment food and rural affairs.cfm). Additionally, CoRWM is required to submit quarterly reports of its work under Managing Radioactive Waste Safely programme to its sponsoring Ministers. The first report for November 2003 to February 2004 is available on CoRWM's website (www.corwm.org.uk). The second report for March 2004 to May 2004 should be available shortly.

River Stour

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to maintain the quality of water in the River Stour as the population of Ashford grows; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Government are funding a series of studies intended to facilitate the sustainable development of Ashford, to meet a stated target of providing 31,000 new homes in the town by 2031.
	The Integrated Water Management Study, which is being led by the Environment Agency, is looking into issues related to the water environment in this context. The first phase of the study identified a number of water-related constraints to growth, and potential strategies to overcome them will be identified in the final phase of the study. The final report will be available by the end of 2005.
	The Agency's longer-term strategy for protecting the Great Stour will be guided by the results of the Integrated Water Management Study. Such a strategy may require, for example, more advanced wastewater treatment, new treatment and disposal locations.

Soil Action Plan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on support available to help the introduction of the recently announced Soil Action Plan for England.

Alun Michael: Within Defra the Soil Action Plan currently has the dedicated support of a team of six staff (up from three a year ago and expected to expand a little further), and a research budget of 1.4 million, plus a further 9.7 million which it is estimated is spent on soil related research. The action plan is also supported by other colleagues in the department, and by a coalition of partners across and beyond Government, among whom English Heritage, English Nature and the Environment Agency have taken responsibility for leading particular workstreams.

Warm Front Scheme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to expand the Warm Front grant scheme; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans she has to provide resources for a wider range of energy efficiency measures under the Warm Front scheme; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the progress made by the Warm Front scheme towards meeting the targets set out in the Government's Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 14 June 2004
	We intend to publish a Fuel Poverty Implementation Plan later this summer which will include details about the future development of the Warm Front scheme and consider different options for improving its targeting and measures offered. This will also set out the action and resources needed to achieve our fuel poverty targets.
	The PSA target of assisting 600,000 households between 200104 has been met, with over 660,000 households assisted in that period. In total, Warm Front delivered measures to over 800,000 households since the start of the scheme in June 2000 and March 2004.

Whaling

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Icelandic Government regarding its recent decision to re-start the hunting of minke whales.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK strongly supports the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling and deeply regrets the decision of Iceland to continue 'scientific' whaling this year. Following last years UK-led demarche of 23 countries criticising Iceland's return to whaling, I will be contacting the Icelandic Government again urging them to reconsider their unnecessary and unjustified decision.

Whaling

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information the UK will submit to the International Whaling Commission meeting in Sorrento in connection with (a) the Southern Ocean Sanctuary review and (b) the Conservation Committee.

Ben Bradshaw: The head of the UK's delegation to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee has been actively involved in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary review process, and will submit scientific evidence to support the continuation of the Southern Ocean Sanctuary at the IWC meeting in Sorrento.
	The UK was instrumental in establishing the Conservation Committee at last years IWC meeting in Berlin and we are keen to see it succeed. At this stage an agenda has yet to be agreed, but the UK will play an active part in the Committee and will provide information as and when required.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Belfast Inner-city Ring Road

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the inner-city ring road in Belfast.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of the Roads Service has written to the hon. Gentleman. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Circuit of Ireland Rally

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government intends to provide financial assistance for the Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Angela Smith: It is too soon to say if funding will be made available for the 2005 Circuit of Ireland Rally. Neither the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) nor the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) have received an application for the 2005 Rally but should such applications be made these would be considered in the normal way. In 2003 the total amount provided from the NIEC and NITB was 76,500 and in 2004 the NIEC provided 38,250.

Columba Initiative

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) annual and (b) other reports have been published in respect of the Columba initiative.

Angela Smith: The Columba initiative registered as a company limited by guarantee in April 2002. We expect its first Annual Report (including accounts) to be published imminently. This report will cover the period up to 2003. The Annual Report and Accounts will be placed in the Library once we have received them.

Cultural Venues

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money in capital terms has been allocated for cultural venues (a) in Belfast and (b) outside Belfast in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Capital grants to cultural venues (defined as arts venues, registered museums and public libraries) were as follows in each of the last five years:
	
		
		
			 Financial year Belfast Outside Belfast 
		
		
			 19992000 404,500 1,460,597 
			 200001 200,100 2,262,766 
			 200102 573,100 1,329,340 
			 200203 1,854,000 2,905,889 
			 200304 470,002 3,478,720

Cultural Venues

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been allocated for cultural venues in Belfast in the current financial year, broken down by venue.

Angela Smith: A total of 14,003,400 has been allocated for cultural venues (defined as arts venues, registered museums and public libraries) in Belfast in the current financial year, broken down as follows:
	
		Arts Council of Northern Ireland
		
			 Venue Allocation () 
		
		
			 Belfast Exposed Photography 30,000 
			 Crescent Arts Centre 120,000 
			 Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich 140,000 
			 Fendersky Gallery 5,000 
			 Golden Thread Gallery 15,000 
			 Grand Opera House 458,400 
			 Lyric Players' Theatre 535,000 
			 Old Museum Arts Centre 205,000 
			 Ormeau Baths Gallery 250,000 
			 Total 1,758,400 
		
	
	
		National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland
		
			 Venue Allocation () 
		
		
			 Ulster Museum 6,153,500 
			 Total 6,153,000 
		
	
	6,092,000 has been allocated to the Belfast Education and Library Board for the public library service. It is not possible to give a breakdown of this allocation by venue.

Demilitarisation

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the demilitarisation measures that have been taken in the past year.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is as follows:
	Cloghoge Tower, South Armagh (R14)demolished
	Tievecrum Tower, South Armagh (R23)demolished
	Ebrington Army Base, Londonderryclosed
	Clooney Army Base, Londonderryclosed
	Troops withdrawn from PSNI StationsAughnacloy, County Armagh, Belleek and Belcoo, County Fermanagh

Emergency Planning

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on emergency planning arrangements in the event of an attack linked to international terrorism.

Ian Pearson: The Government are committed to the fight against terrorism, whatever its origin. Since the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, the Government and their partners have been completely overhauling arrangements to protect the UK, working both to help prevent terrorist attacks wherever possible, and to minimise the impact of an attack. Northern Ireland is fully involved in that programme where appropriate.

HMS Caroline

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the costs involved in retaining HMS Caroline in Belfast as a visitor attraction at the Museum of Sky and Sea.

Angela Smith: My hon. Friend the Minister for Veterans (Mr. Caplin), confirmed in a written answer to the hon. Lady on 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 810W, that the Ministry of Defence has no plans at this time to decommission HMS Caroline. This being the case, there has been no consideration given to including the ship within any plans for a Museum of Sea and Sky and no assessment has been made of costs which may be involved.

Ice Hockey

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been allocated to promote the development of ice hockey in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

Angela Smith: The amount awarded by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland to promote the development of ice hockey in each of the past five years is as follows.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 19992000 (65)0 
			 200001 3,000 
			 200102 3,000 
			 200203 1,150 
			 200304 (65)0 
		
	
	(65) No applications were received in 19992000 and 200304.
	In addition the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) provided 7,000 towards the hosting the final of the Super league Challenge Cup in 2001.

Irish Republican Army

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) charged for being members of the IRA since the signing of the Belfast Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The police do not record information on arrests centrally and to provide this information would incur a disproportionate cost. During the period 11 April 1998 to 29 February 2004 12 persons were charged with membership of the IRA.

Lyric Theatre

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the estimated cost of the redevelopment of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast will be met from Government funding.

Angela Smith: No decision has yet been taken on whether the Government will provide financial assistance for the redevelopment of the Lyric Theatre. This will depend on the strength of the business case and the availability of funding to meet the capital costs. My Department is currently working with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and The Lyric Theatre to develop a robust and up-to-date business case for support from public sector funds.

Motorsports

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources are made available from (a) the Safety at Sports Grounds Fund and (b) other public funding sources for organisers to carry out essential safety improvements and maintenance for each motorcycle racing event in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: No funding from the Sports Council Safe Sports Grounds fund has been made available for organisers to carry out essential safety improvements and maintenance for each motorcycle racing event in Northern Ireland. Approximately 175,000 has previously been provided by my Department via the Sports Council for Northern Ireland for essential safety work at motorcycle road racing circuits. Moreover, organisers may be able to avail of public funding for essential safety improvements and maintenance for motorcycle racing events from monies provided by the Sports Council to the 2  4 Wheel Motor Sport Steering Group Ltd., the umbrella group of motor sports governing bodies and which also represents organisers of motorcycle racing events in Northern Ireland.

Motorsports

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals his Department has for taking forward the development of a motorsports facility for Northern Ireland which meets international standards.

Angela Smith: My Department currently has no proposals for taking forward the development of a motorsports facility for Northern Ireland which meets international standards. However, as part of their strategic plan, the governing bodies of motorsport in Northern Ireland, as represented by the two and four Wheel Motorsport Steering Group Ltd., have initiated an 'Expressions of Interest' exercise in relation to the development of such a facility. The outcome of this exercise is expected to be announced by the two and four Wheel Motorsport Steering Group Ltd. on the week commencing 21 June.

Patrick Kelly

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers are involved in the investigation of the murder of Mr. Patrick Kelly, at Trillick, Co. Tyrone, on 10 August 1974.

Ian Pearson: The deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable. Police have confirmed that the investigation into the murder of Mr. Kelly requires substantial resourcing. The actual number of officers deployed at any given time varies according to the most efficient use of resources within the Crime Operations Department.

Personal Injury Claims

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) local authorities and (b) Government Departments and agencies paid in claims for personal injury or liability, as a proportion of their total budgets, in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: Claims paid for personal injury in respect of employers liability and public liability, by the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and the Northern Ireland Office, including agencies, has been less than 1 per cent. of total budgets in each of the last five years.
	Information relating to personal injury claims paid by district councils is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Salmon

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the stocking plan is for salmon in the rivers (a) Bush, (b) Bann and (c) Lagan for the current year; and what the plans were in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Salmon fry hatched at Bushmills Salmon Station early in 2004 have already been stocked into suitable habitat in the River Bush catchment. Summerling parr will be stocked into under recruited nursery habitat in the autumn. Fry stocking has been a part of both the Department's scientific research programme and angling development programme on the River Bush in each of the last five years. It has been increased in recent years to bolster declining natural egg deposition.
	Tributaries of the Lower River Bann including the Clady and the Agivey are routinely stocked with indigenous juvenile salmon by local angling clubs. This has occurred in each of the last 5 years.
	Salmon fry hatched at Bushmills Salmon Station have been stocked into suitable habitat on the River Lagan in 2004. The reintroduction of salmon to the River Lagan commenced in 1991 with a programme of fry stocking and this has continued annually since then.

Salmon

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards the re-establishment of the Lough Erne salmon run; and what plans are in place to deal with the physical barrier of the Ballyshannon generator in order that the Lough Erne salmon run can be re-established.

Angela Smith: A cross-border scientific programme was set up in 1995 to address the problem of low salmon runs in the Erne catchment. The programme elucidated some of the reasons behind the absence of a wild breeding salmon population and began a restoration programme that saw increasing numbers of salmon ascending the River Erne from 1998. A number of conclusions and recommendations were reported in 2001 and an action plan was developed.
	While many aspects of the action plan have been implemented, discussions continue with the authorities in the Republic of Ireland on the outstanding recommendations.

Salmon

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated count was for the salmon run in the rivers (a) Bush, (b) Bann and (c) Lagan in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Total counts are available for the River Bush. A counter on the Lower River Bann at Portna provides an indicative count only of adult fish ascending the river, as salmon enter tributaries downstream. The number of salmon ascending the River Lagan is estimated using a trapping/electronic counting facility, and more recently video, deployed at Stranmillis weir.
	Counts for each of the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			  Bush 1 Bann (Portna) Lagan 
		
		
			 2003 723 (67)3,012 100 
			 2002 835 4,502 500 
			 2001 913 4,572 450 
			 2000 950 4,407 800 
			 1999 977 2,371 50 
		
	
	(66) Wild fish (excludes adults released as smolts from the hatchery).
	(67) Count incomplete due to technical problems with electronic counter.

Salmon

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the existing threats to salmon runs in the rivers (a) Bush, (b) Bann and (c) Lagan; and what steps are being taken by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to counter these threats.

Angela Smith: Policy on salmon and inland fisheries is the responsibility of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Accordingly, the hon. Member's question has been referred to my Department for answer.
	The existing threats to salmon stocks on each of the Rivers Bush, Bann and Lagan are similar, at least at the macro scale.
	Research at Bushmills salmon station has demonstrated a significant decline in marine survival in recent years whereby a substantially lower percentage of emigrating smolts are returning as adults to home waters. International research into the causes of this worrying phenomenon is being commissioned and will look at factors such as climatic change, predation and pressure on prey species. The Department has been successful in buying-out over 87 per cent. of coastal nets that exploited fish returning to the Bush and Bann rivers and has approved a range of byelaws made by the Fisheries Conservancy Board that seek to further control both commercial and angling exploitation.
	Water quality and habitat degradation are the main causes of poor freshwater production of smolts. Secondary concerns include periodic obstructions to passage and predation by cormorants and seals.
	A research project on the River Bush sponsored by Departments has recently reported on factors affecting water quality and flows that impact on aquatic ecology.
	It is planned to take the recommendations forward by way of a catchment management action plan. Proposals aimed at restoring productive freshwater habitat for salmon in the river have been prepared as part of this process.

Ulster Canal

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with regard to the establishment of the Ulster Canal.

Angela Smith: The updated Economic Appraisal on re-opening the Ulster Canal in its entirety is currently with both Governments for consideration. As re-opening is not viable in purely monetary terms, it will be difficult to secure Government funding for this significant capital project. I welcome the supporting efforts of organisations such as the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland whose application for INTERREG III(A) funding to re-open a south-western section of the Ulster Canal is proceeding through the assessment system.

HEALTH

Food Research

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government spent on research and development relating to food, with particular reference to (a) agriculture, (b) fishing, (c) processing, (d) nutrition, (e) safety and (f) economic and social studies, in each of the most recent 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by (i) Government departments, (ii) research councils, (iii) higher education, (iv) business enterprises and (v) private non-profit organisations.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The figures available for Food Standards Agency expenditure on research and development related to food safety and nutrition in the four financial years since it came into being are shown in the table.
	
		 million
		
			 Financial year Food safety Nutrition 
		
		
			 200001 15.7 6.3 
			 200102 15.4 3.8 
			 200203 15.2 3.9 
			 200304(68) 15.7 4.8 
		
	
	Note:
	(68) Figures for 200304 are provisional

Acupuncture

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether general practitioners who are members of the British Medical Acupuncture Society will be subject to dual registration when the new statutory regulator is in place; whether medical acupuncturists will be recognised in the education and training requirements of the new acupuncture regulator; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: On 2 March, the Department published proposals for the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture practitioners. The consultation period closed on 7 June. We are aware of the interests of medical acupuncturists and will consider their representations very carefully.

Alzheimer's

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from Alzheimer's in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley; and what help and support is given to Alzheimer's (i) patients and (ii) carers in (A) Lancashire Teaching Hospital and (B) Chorley South Ribble Primary Care Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the numbers of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease on a regional basis is not held centrally.
	Dementia services across Lancashire Teaching Hospitals national health service trust is provided by the Lancashire Care Trust, which provides the following services:
	consultant psychiatrist led outpatient clinics, with a memory assessment service, including the prescribing and monitoring of anti dementia drug therapy;
	nine in patient assessment beds on Hazelwood Ward, Chorley and South Ribble hospital;
	day hospital service at the Chorley and South Ribble hospital, where there are 25 places available for two days per week, including memory support;
	28 continuing care beds at Meadowbank Nursing Home;
	psychology services; and
	community mental health teams which are staffed by five community psychiatric nurses and four support workers. These include dementia services within their workload.
	Within the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust (PCT), the following help and support is available:
	10 intermediate care rehabilitation beds at Charnley Fold, Bamber Bridge for people with dementia, provided jointly by Chorley and South Ribble PCT, Preston PCT and Lancashire county council social services. This service opened in April 2004. Following completion of refurbishment this service will move to Broadfield, Leyland.
	Chorley and South Ribble PCT funds a service by Crossroads, which was introduced in 2003 and based in the Beechurst Unit at Chorley district hospital, for people with early onset dementia and their carers.

Anti-depressant Drugs

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescription items of (a) individual benzodiazepine drugs and (b) individual antidepressants were dispensed in the community in England in 2003.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the numbers of prescription items of benzodiazepines and anti-depressants that were dispensed in the community in England in 2003 has been placed in the Library.

Clinical Trials

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the participation of surgeons in clinical trials.

John Hutton: The Medical Research Council (MRC) has reviewed the conduct of trials of surgical interventions and has published guidance to surgeons and triallists on the subject. The guidance can be found on the MRC website at www.mrc.ac.uk/pdf-health tech assess.pdf
	In order to encourage more surgeons to enter research training, the MRC runs a joint fellowship scheme with the royal colleges of surgeons of England and Edinburgh and of obstetrics and gynaecology. Details are at www.mrc.ac.uk/doc-crtf2notes.doc

Depression (Under-18s)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the causes of depression in those aged under 18.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 15 June 2004
	There is wide ranging research being undertaken on depression among the under 18 age group, including research on the causes of depression. Examples of this work include the study by Professor Jean Golding at Bristol University on conduct disorder and depression in early adolescence and the work of Professor Ian Goodyear, Lifespan Health National Health Service Trust, with his longitudinal family study in childhood depression and his investigation into the aetiology and outcome of a first major depression in childhood and adolescence.

Foundation Trusts

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what audit and performance evaluation of first wave foundation trusts and their impact on local health services, including neighbouring trusts, will be conducted before (a) foundation status is reaffirmed and (b) the rolling out of further foundation trusts.

John Hutton: An independent review of national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs) is to be undertaken by the Healthcare Commission. The terms of reference for the review are currently being developed.
	We expect to make an announcement about the timing of the review and its terms of reference and about the timing of the next wave of NHSFT authorisations, wave 2, shortly.

Genito-urinary Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times were in genito-urinary medicine clinics for patients referred by general practitioners in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Hutton: In England, at the end of March 2004, the average estimated provider based waiting time following a general practitioner referral for a first outpatient appointment in specialty genito-urinary medicine is 2.02 weeks.

Hospital Capacity

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the capacity of (a) the Worcestershire Royal Hospital and (b) the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch to respond to an increase in demand for in-patient treatment.

Stephen Ladyman: This is a matter for the local health community. West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority reports that capacity at both hospitals is regularly reviewed.

Learning Disabilities

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the guide to good services commissioned by the National Institute for Mental Health in England to address the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 15 June 2004
	The National Institute for Mental Health in England and the Valuing People support team expect to jointly publish their report, Green Light: How Good Are Your Mental Health Services for People with Learning Disabilities?, before the end of June.

Mental Health

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether examples of good practice in the provision of clothing to long-stay patients in mental health in-patient units collected from NHS trusts have been placed on the National Institute of Mental Health for England's website;
	(2)  how many and what examples of good practice in the provision of clothing to long-stay patients in mental health in-patient units have been collected from NHS trusts by the National Institute of Mental Health for England to date.

Rosie Winterton: The National Institute for Mental Health in England does not, at present, have any examples of good practice in the provision of clothing to long-stay psychiatric in-patient units on its web site.

Mental Health

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the level of support available from local authorities to people with mental health problems since the Social Exclusion Unit's inquiry into mental health issues.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not made a systematic assessment of the level of support available from local authorities to people with mental health problems since the social exclusion unit's mental health project.
	Primary care trust chief executives and local authority directors of social services, in conjunction with other local authority departments, have lead responsibility for drawing up a local action plan to implement the measures in the report.
	The Department has made available to local councils with social services responsibilities 22 million in ring-fenced mental health supported capital expenditure to support the capital costs associated with implementing the social exclusion unit's mental health project.

Modernisation Board Annual Report

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of producing the Modernisation Board annual report for 2004; how many copies have been printed; and how copies are being made available to NHS (a) employees and (b) patients.

John Hutton: The estimated cost of writing, editing, design and publishing the NHS Modernisation Board annual report was 43,000. 6,000 copies of the report have been printed. 3,500 copies will be distributed within the NHS through the strategic health authorities and individual NHS trusts for staff and 2,500 copies have been made available for patients groups and individual patients. Staff and the general public can also download the full report through the Department's website.

Official Meetings (Mayor of London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on what dates (a) he and (b) his predecessors have held official meetings with the Mayor of London since July 2000; and what the subject of each meeting was;
	(2)  if he will list the official meetings he and his predecessor the right hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) have had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 to discuss health matters in London, and the dates and subject of each meeting.

Rosie Winterton: pursuant to her reply, 13 May 2004, Official Report, c. 59192W
	I regret that my previous response was incorrect. The answer should have been that my right hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Health (Mr. Hutton) met the Mayor of London on 20 September 2001 to discuss the issue of promoting the health of Londoners.

Private Healthcare (NHS Patients)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on buying private healthcare for NHS patients in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total NHS budget this expenditure represented.

John Hutton: We do not have central figures for the amount spent on buying private healthcare for national health service patients in 1997. In the year 200203 the total cost of acute services subcontracted to or directly commissioned by primary care trusts and NHS trusts from non-NHS providers was approximately 110.58 million. The latest figures for total expenditure on acute services in the secondary care environment (hospital and community health service figures (HCHS) was 17.2 billion in 200102. Therefore, expenditure on acute healthcare from non-NHS providers represents less than 1 per cent. of total HCHS expenditure. It is not possible to extrapolate the precise amount of money spent in the private sector for 200203 from the overall cost of the NHS buying services from non-NHS providers including voluntary and charitable organisations and the independent sector.

Residential Care Homes (London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are available in residential care homes in the Greater London area.

Stephen Ladyman: At 31 March 2001 there were 47,400 care home places in Greater London. This comprises of 18,100 nursing care places and 29,300 residential care places.
	Figures for later years have been collected by the National Care Standards Commission but comparable details are not available.

Rubber Ferrules

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 24 May 2004, Official Report, column 1391W on rubber ferrules, who his Department's supplier of rubber ferrules is; and in what country this company is based.

John Hutton: There are two suppliers of ferrules on the current national health service Purchasing and Supply Agency's national walking aid agreement. They are Sunrise Medical, based in Wollaston, West Midlands; and Stepsafe Ltd., based in Swaffham Bulbeck, Cambridge.

Sexual Health

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexually transmitted diseases were diagnosed in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) disease and (b) strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 3 December 2003, Official Report, columns 8082W, which provides the data requested broken down by disease.
	The number of sexually transmitted infections diagnosed by strategic health authority between 1997 and 2002 is shown in the table.
	
		Diagnoses of selected sexually transmitted infections(69) by strategic health authority 1997 to 2002
		
			 Strategic health authority 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 5,046 5,241 5,624 6,409 6,906 7,093 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 3,148 3,365 3,892 4,048 4,342 4,494 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 5,982 4,889 6,026 6,942 9,146 10,250 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 5,749 5,988 6,980 7,406 7,832 8,843 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 1,931 1,988 2,303 2,327 2,316 2,766 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 3,077 3,343 3,410 3,815 4,029 4,166 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 3,731 3,908 4,549 4,894 5,216 6,021 
			 Dorset and Somerset 2,465 2,623 2,894 3,310 3,439 3,723 
			 Essex 2,776 2,935 3,389 3,450 4,059 4,391 
			 Greater Manchester 7,197 7,926 9,413 10,572 11,755 11,922 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 3,686 3,922 4,870 5,258 4,977 5,289 
			 Kent and Medway 2,665 2,916 2,905 2,941 2,914 3,417 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 3,624 3,731 3,687 5,221 4,980 4,941 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 4,568 4,859 5,312 5,770 6,067 6,573 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern 2,955 2,953 2,449 2,457 3,494 4,773 
			 North Central London 6,430 7,198 7,144 8,249 10,025 9,981 
			 North East London 6,006 6,309 6,956 8,007 9,274 10,737 
			 North West London 9,229 9,304 9,951 12,779 13,326 12,632 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 4,040 3,888 4,463 4,588 4,378 4,822 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 2,812 2,940 3,351 3,613 3,906 4,068 
			 South East London 7,739 8,733 9,722 9,254 9,863 10,907 
			 South West London 3,824 4,003 4,800 6,041 6,385 7,853 
			 South West Peninsula 2,862 3,176 3,338 3,626 3,796 4,202 
			 South Yorkshire 5,018 4,965 5,254 5,562 5,898 6,480 
			 Surrey and Sussex 5,198 5,521 5,656 6,860 7,055 8,559 
			 Thames Valley 4,720 5,478 5,455 6,427 6,698 6,826 
			 Trent 7,260 7,117 7,090 7,482 8,132 8,863 
			 West Yorkshire 5,393 6,151 6,435 6,823 7,629 9,087 
		
	
	(69) Primary and secondary syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, uncomplicated Chlamydial infection, Anogenital herpes (first attack), Anogenital warts (first attack).
	Source:
	KC60 dataset.

Waiting Times

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients were admitted to hospital within nine months of referral for admission in the last year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: Data are collected on the number of patients who are admitted to hospital from being placed on the inpatient waiting list. For the most recent financial year for 200203, 90 per cent. of all admissions with a valid waiting time were admitted within nine months 1 . During 200203 the maximum inpatient waiting time was 15 months. The current maximum inpatient waiting time in 200405 is nine months, reducing to six months by the end of 2005.
	1 Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.
	Note
	Time waited statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.